English Reference
noun

connector

n.
US /kəˈnɛktɝ/ UK /kənˈɛktɐ/ con·nec·tor UK spelling connector's, connector's

  1. 01 B2 Upper Intermediate

    a small part used to join two wires, cables, or pipes together so that electricity or liquid can flow.

    a device, typically a plug or socket, designed to join electrical conductors or mechanical hoses while allowing for easy disconnection.

    Simple

    Make sure the gold connector is pushed all the way into the port.

    In context

    The technician identified a faulty connector in the wiring harness, which had been causing intermittent power failures during high-speed operation.

  2. 02 C1 Advanced Technical Computing

    a piece of software that lets one program talk to a database or another system.

    a software component or driver that facilitates communication between an application and an external data source or service.

    Simple

    You need to install the database connector before the app can save any data.

    In context

    The enterprise platform utilizes a specialized JDBC connector to ensure seamless data synchronization between the legacy mainframe and the modern cloud environment.

  3. 03 B2 Upper Intermediate American English

    a short road that links two main highways or freeways.

    a highway or roadway segment designed specifically to link two major arterial routes or interchanges.

    Simple

    Take the airport connector to avoid the heavy traffic in the city center.

    In context

    The proposed four-lane connector will significantly reduce commute times by providing a direct link between the industrial park and the interstate highway.

The purple board is leftover from an audio project and is used to support the ESP32-S3 board so that the USB C connector can be exposed on the back.

Ars Technica· 23 Jul 2026

The bright-yellow cartridges, modeled after familiar eight-track cassettes, included a spring-loaded plastic door that protected the microchip and connector pins.

Smithsonian Magazine· 16 Jun 2026

From connect + -or.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry
Level B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency Frequent
Updated