adapter

noun

adapt·​er ə-ˈdap-tər How to pronounce adapter (audio)
a-
variants or less commonly 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

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.
Those ports can be used to play additional titles and, with the right adapter, to connect original Intellivision controllers. Alex Harrington, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Oct. 2025 No one wants to deal with tangled cords or missing adapters mid-vacation, and this best-selling Amazon case keeps everything from chargers to memory cards neatly in place. Chaise Sanders, Travel + Leisure, 17 Oct. 2025 At the same time, both rivals rely on external, laptop-style adapters. PC Magazine, 16 Oct. 2025 That includes docking adapters and other hardware changes key to orbital refueling, a complex process involving two Starships docking in orbit to transfer hundreds of tons of super-cooled propellant. Reuters, NBC news, 14 Oct. 2025 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 26 Oct. 2025.

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

More from Merriam-Webster on adapter

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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