# connector

/kəˈnɛktɝ/ (US) · /kənˈɛktɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/connector
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. electrical/mechanical part

noun · CEFR B2

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

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

- Make sure the gold connector is pushed all the way into the port.
- The technician identified a faulty connector in the wiring harness, which had been causing intermittent power failures during high-speed operation.

### 2. software interface

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

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

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

- You need to install the database connector before the app can save any data.
- The enterprise platform utilizes a specialized JDBC connector to ensure seamless data synchronization between the legacy mainframe and the modern cloud environment.

### 3. connecting road

noun · CEFR B2 · American English

a short road that links two main highways or freeways.

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

- Take the airport connector to avoid the heavy traffic in the city center.
- The proposed four-lane connector will significantly reduce commute times by providing a direct link between the industrial park and the interstate highway.

## Examples

- The plastic connector holds the two pipes together.
- She used a special connector to join the two cables securely.
- In network topology, the router acts as a central connector, directing data traffic between different subnetworks with precision.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.