router

1 of 3

noun (1)

rout·​er ˈrau̇-tər 

: one that routs: such as

a

: a routing plane

b

: a machine with a revolving vertical spindle and cutter for milling out the surface of wood or metal

router

2 of 3

noun (2)

rout·​er ˈrü-tər  ˈrau̇- 

: one that routes

especially : a device that mediates the transmission routes of data packets over an electronic communications network (such as the Internet)

router

3 of 3

noun (3)

rout·​er ˈrü-tər  ˈrau̇- 

: a horse trained for distance races

Examples of router in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

My siblings took the internet router. —Mohammed R. Mhawish, New Yorker, 11 Nov. 2025

Your Wi-Fi router, smart home devices and even security cameras all have passwords that need attention. —Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 9 Nov. 2025

The router plays well for streaming and gaming with solid speeds hitting 918Mbps on the 5GHz band and 921Mbps on 6GHz. —PC Magazine, 7 Nov. 2025

Use your own equipment to avoid monthly modem or router rental fees. —Roxanne Downer, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

rout entry 4 + -er entry 2

Noun (2)

route entry 2 + -er entry 2

Noun (3)

route entry 1 (in sense "race of a mile or more") + -er entry 2

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1818, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1903, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

circa 1951, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for router

• neuter
• pewter
• scooter
• shooter
• suitor
• tutor
• commuter
• computer
• polluter
• recruiter
• microcomputer
• minicomputer

Kids Definition

router

1 of 2 noun

rout·​er ˈrau̇t-ər 

: a machine for cutting out the surface of wood or metal

router

2 of 2 noun

rout·​er ˈrüt-ər 

ˈrau̇t-

: one that routes

especially : a device that sends data from one place to another within a computer network or between computer networks