English Reference

Word

motherboard

Phoneticsmoth·er·board

US/ˈməðɝˌbɔɹd/

UK/mˈʌðəbˌɔːd/

Definition

n. the main circuit board inside a computer. It connects all the important parts like the brain, memory, and other hardware so they can talk to each other.

n. the primary printed circuit board in a computer or other complex electronic system. It houses the central processing unit and memory while providing connectors for other peripherals.

Examples

“I need to replace the motherboard because the computer won't start.”

“When building a custom PC, you must ensure the motherboard is compatible with your chosen processor and case size.”

“The technician identified a blown capacitor on the motherboard, which had been causing intermittent system crashes and data corruption during high-performance tasks.”

Examples

simple

“I need to replace the motherboard because the computer won't start.”

contextual

“When building a custom PC, you must ensure the motherboard is compatible with your chosen processor and case size.”

complex

“The technician identified a blown capacitor on the motherboard, which had been causing intermittent system crashes and data corruption during high-performance tasks.”

Usage

Often used as a modifier in noun phrases like 'motherboard components' or 'motherboard drivers'.

Etymology

Compound of mother + board. Attested since 1965.

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

Word family

Domain

Hardware

This entry

Level
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency
Occasional
Updated

Scan code

englishreference.com/q/motherboard

English Reference