ENGLISH
REFERENCE

DNS

n. uncountable
C1 Advanced US //ˌdiˌɛˈnɛs// dns

n. Stands for Domain Name System. It is the system that connects a website's name to its actual address on the internet. It works like a phone book for computers, turning names like 'google.com' into numbers.

n. Abbreviation for Domain Name System. A hierarchical and decentralized naming system for computers, services, or other resources connected to the internet or a private network. It translates human-readable domain names into the numerical IP addresses required for locating and identifying computer services and devices.


SIMPLE

The website is down because of a DNS error.

CONTEXTUAL

When you type a URL into your browser, the DNS server looks up the corresponding IP address to load the page.

COMPLEX

Network administrators often configure secondary DNS servers to ensure that domain name resolution remains functional even if the primary server experiences a hardware failure or a cyberattack.

Usage

Often used as a modifier before another noun, such as 'DNS server', 'DNS record', or 'DNS settings'.

© 2026 English Reference