server chassis
compound.compound. the metal frame or box that holds all the computer parts of a server. It protects the internal pieces and helps keep them cool while they are running.
compound. the structural metal enclosure designed to house and protect the internal components of a server, such as the motherboard, power supply, and hard drives. Often designed for rack-mounting in data centers to optimize space and airflow.
The technician slid the new server chassis into the metal rack.
When building the data center, we chose a 2U server chassis to ensure there was enough vertical space for extra cooling fans.
High-density server chassis are engineered with specialized ventilation pathways to prevent thermal throttling when multiple high-performance processors are operating simultaneously within a confined rack space.
A compound of the computing sense of server and the term chassis, derived from the Old French chace, denoting a frame or setting. The latter term migrated from automotive and artillery contexts to describe the structural housing of electronic hardware.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
The term is a compound noun; the plural form is 'server chassis' (pronounced with a long 'i' sound at the end).
Last updated July 22, 2026