adapter

noun

adapt·​er ə-ˈdap-tər How to pronounce adapter (audio)
a-
variants or less commonly adaptor
Synonyms of adapternext
1
: one that adapts
2
a
: a device for connecting two parts (as of different diameters) of an apparatus
b
: an attachment for adapting apparatus for uses not originally intended

Examples of adapter in a Sentence

adapters for the food mixer include a meat grinder and an ice cream maker
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Included in the Studio Display's base price is your choice of a stand with tilt adjustment or a VESA-mount adapter for arm- or wall-mounting. Tony Hoffman, PC Magazine, 11 Apr. 2026 The complex process, requiring two Starships equipped with docking adapters to meet up in orbit to transfer hundreds of tons of super-cooled propellant, is necessary for Starship to reach distant destinations like Mars. Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 8 Apr. 2026 Don’t forget a universal travel adapter to charge your phone in a foreign country, or a Bluetooth wireless transmitter to skip using low-quality airline headphones on a long-haul flight. Julia Morlino, Travel + Leisure, 8 Apr. 2026 Book adaptations have become so important in Hollywood that Netflix, a perennial book adapter, said its book-to-screen content found a spot in the streamer’s global Top 10 every week in 2025. Leah Asmelash, CNN Money, 29 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for adapter

Word History

Etymology

adapt + -er entry 2

First Known Use

1753, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Time Traveler
The first known use of adapter was in 1753

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Adapter.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adapter. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

adapter

noun
adapt·​er
variants also adaptor
1
: someone or something that adapts
2
a
: a device for connecting two parts (as of different diameters) of a usually larger device
b
: an attachment for adapting a device for uses not originally intended

Medical Definition

adapter

noun
adapt·​er
variants also adaptor
1
: one that adapts
2
a
: a device for connecting two parts (as of different diameters) of an apparatus
b
: an attachment for adapting apparatus for uses not originally intended

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