# MAC

/ˈmæk/ (US) · /mˈæk/ (UK)

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

## Senses

### 1. Apple computer

noun · CEFR A2

a brand of personal computer made by the company Apple.

For teachers: a proprietary line of personal computers designed, manufactured, and marketed by Apple Inc.

- I prefer using a Mac for graphic design because the software runs smoothly.
- The creative department recently upgraded to the latest Mac models to handle the increased processing demands of high-resolution video editing.

### 2. raincoat

noun · CEFR B1 · British English

a waterproof coat that protects you from the rain.

For teachers: a waterproof raincoat, originally made of rubberised fabric. A clipping of 'mackintosh'.

- Don't forget to bring your mac, as the weather forecast predicts heavy showers.
- He pulled his yellow mac tight against the driving wind as he walked along the pier.

### 4. macaroni

noun · CEFR B1 · Informal

a short way of saying macaroni, usually in the dish 'mac and cheese'.

For teachers: a clipping of macaroni, almost exclusively used in the compound 'mac and cheese'.

- The kids always ask for mac and cheese for dinner on Fridays.
- The restaurant serves a gourmet version of mac and cheese topped with truffle oil and toasted breadcrumbs.

### 5. network address

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

Stands for Media Access Control. It is a unique number that identifies a device on a network.

For teachers: Initialism of Media Access Control. Refers to a unique identifier assigned to a network interface controller for use as a network address.

- You might need to find your computer's MAC address to connect to the office Wi-Fi.
- The network administrator implemented MAC filtering to ensure that only authorised hardware could access the secure server.

### 6. mid-air collision

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

Stands for Mid-Air Collision. It is when two planes hit each other while flying.

For teachers: Initialism of Mid-Air Collision. Used in aviation safety and accident reporting to describe an impact between aircraft in flight.

- The pilots were trained to use radar to avoid a potential MAC.
- The investigation concluded that the MAC was caused by a failure in ground-based communication systems during peak traffic hours.

## Examples

- I bought a new Mac for my graphic design work.
- Most of the creative team prefers to use a Mac because the software they need runs more smoothly on that system.
- While the office provides standard PCs for administrative tasks, the video editing suite is equipped exclusively with high-end Macs to handle the heavy processing requirements of 4K rendering.

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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.