interface

noun

in·ter·face | \ ˈin-tər-ˌfās

Definition of interface

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : a surface forming a common boundary of two bodies, spaces, or phases an oil-water interface

2a : the place at which independent and often unrelated systems meet and act on or communicate with each other the man-machine interface

b : the means by which interaction or communication is achieved at an interface

interface

verb

interfaced; interfacing; interfaces

Definition of interface (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to connect by means of an interface interface a machine with a computer

2 : to serve as an interface for

intransitive verb

1 : to become interfaced

2 : to interact or coordinate harmoniously

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Examples of interface in a Sentence

Noun

the interface between engineering and science The software has a user interface that's easy to operate. We installed an interface between the computer and the typesetting machine.

Verb

interface a machine with a computer the point at which the two machines interface

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

As an open source platform, Android can usually be implemented in whatever way manufacturers want, with few requirements about how the user interface looks or functions. — Louise Matsakis, WIRED, "The Android 10 Privacy and Security Upgrades You Should Know About," 22 Aug. 2019 RStudio offers a free user interface for the language, but charges companies for enterprise support. — Dan Kopf, Quartz, "What’s next for the popular programming language R?," 17 Aug. 2019 The user interface features large, easy to activate buttons and an intuitive software setup. — Larry Printz, Dallas News, "The 2020 Subaru Outback is a family hauling staple, even after six generations," 10 Aug. 2019 These user interfaces are well designed and further the game’s retro aesthetic. — Washington Post, "‘Observation’: A brilliant science fiction game that puts the player in an unfamiliar situation," 7 Aug. 2019 The Classic menus were a product of the CUA (Common User Access) Standards developed by IBM in 1987, which determined the user interface for all Windows, OS/2, MVS/ESA, VM/CMS, and OS/400 software applications. — Jd Sartain, PCWorld, "5 ancient software programs we refuse to give up," 31 July 2019 The developers expertly use that familiarity to design a user interface that’s simple to understand and fun to use. — Gieson Cacho, The Mercury News, "Review: ‘Super Mario Maker 2’ gives aspiring game designers a richer canvas," 5 July 2019 Responsibility for Apple's future design will now fall to Jeff Williams, the chief operating officer; Evans Hankey, who oversees industrial design; and Alan Dye, who oversees user interface design. — NBC News, "Tim Cook disputes 'absurd' reports about Jony Ive's departure from Apple," 1 July 2019 As its key focus market, Transsion has thousands of employees across Africa, working in production lines in its Ethiopian factory and as in-design and user interface personnel in Kenya and Nigeria. — Abdi Latif Dahir, Quartz Africa, "How Africa’s top handset maker designs phone cameras calibrated for darker skin tones," 3 June 2019

Recent Examples on the Web: Verb

The biggest technical hurdle is bandwidth, Musk said, meaning the tools humans use to interface with computers, like current hardware systems and smartphones. — Alex Johnson, NBC News, "Elon Musk wants to hook your brain directly up to computers — starting next year," 17 July 2019 Neuroprosthetics are implants that directly interface with your brain. — Vivienne Ming, Quartz, "Why I’m turning my son into a cyborg," 15 July 2019 The system would not only warn the public, but would also interface with critical infrastructure to automatically shut off some parts of the state's infrastructure, like train systems. — Dakin Andone, CNN, "After two quakes shake Southern California, residents wonder: Are we getting close to the Big One?," 7 July 2019 The festival is a different way to interface with the community. — Erika Butler, baltimoresun.com, "Thousands expected for first Upper Chesapeake Bay Pride Festival in Havre de Grace on June 22," 14 June 2019 Smart city technologies, such as advanced traffic management systems that interface with autonomous vehicles, will likely be layered upon existing streets, Amici said. — Pam Baker, Ars Technica, "Where we’re going, we won’t need windows: How autonomy will change cars," 5 Dec. 2018 The bottom screen is the only way to interface with the climate-control system. — Eric Bangeman, Ars Technica, "All SUV, all of the time: The Range Rover Sport reviewed," 12 July 2018 The goal here is to provide the locals a place to stock up without having to interface with the tourists padding around above. — Steff Yotka, Vogue, "Two Very Big Reasons You Should Do Your Holiday Shopping in Midtown Manhattan," 20 Nov. 2018 And so Anikeeva became determined to design flexible fibers that could interface with the nervous system without damaging it, transmitting signals to reconnect nerves or stimulate neurons. — Jacqueline Detwiler, Popular Mechanics, "The Heroes of Science Who Are Unlocking the Brain," 3 Oct. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'interface.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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Dictionary Entries near interface

Statistics for interface

Last Updated

18 Sep 2019

Look-up Popularity

Time Traveler for interface

The first known use of interface was in 1882

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More Definitions for interface

interface

noun

English Language Learners Definition of interface

(Entry 1 of 2)

: the place or area at which different things meet and communicate with or affect each other

: a system that is used for operating a computer : a system that controls the way information is shown to a computer user and the way the user is able to work with the computer

: an area or system through which one machine is connected to another machine

interface

verb

English Language Learners Definition of interface (Entry 2 of 2)

: to connect or become connected : to connect by means of an interface

See the full definition for interface in the English Language Learners Dictionary

interface

noun

in·ter·face | \ ˈint-ər-ˌfās

Medical Definition of interface

: a surface forming a common boundary of two bodies, spaces, or phases interfaces between various tissues such as skin, fatty tissue, and muscle— H. P. Schwan

Other Words from interface

interface transitive verb interfaced; interfacing

interfacial \ ˌint-ər-ˈfā-shəl

\ adjective

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