Dictionary Definition
adapter
Noun
1 a musician who adapts a composition for
particular voices or instruments or for another style of
performance [syn: arranger, transcriber]
2 device that enables something to be used in a
way different from that for which it was intended or makes
different pieces of apparatus compatible [syn: adaptor]
User Contributed Dictionary
English
Alternative spellings
Pronunciation
Noun
- One who is capable of adapting well to differing
situations.
- He was an able adapter, and could easily adjust to the differences when the company changed ownership.
- One who adapts a thing, e.g. a play.
- The critic gave rave reviews to the adaptor of the ancient play, who worked to give the text more relevance to the modern day.
- A device or
application used to achieve operative compatibility between
devices that otherwise are incompatible.
- He had an adapter that let him plug his phone into the car's cigarette lighter for power.
- Specifically, a device that permits two, three,
or more plugs to be used at
a single electrical
power point.
- The wall outlet sprouted an electrical monstrosity of adapters plugged into adapters that sparked ominously.
- Specifically, a device that allows one format of plug to be used with a
different format of socket.
- We bought adaptors to use our three-prong plugs in the two-prong, unpolarized outlets of the old house.
Derived terms
Related terms
- adapt
- adaptability
- adaptable
- adaptableness
- adaptably
- adaptation
- adaptational
- adaptative
- adaptatively
- adaptativeness
- adaptedness
- adaption
- adaptional
- adaptitude
- adaptive
- adaptively
- adaptiveness
- adaptly
- adaptness
- adaptorial
Translations
one who adapts well
- Finnish: sopeutuja
- French: adaptateur
device to allow compatibility
- Czech: adaptér
- Finnish: sovitin
- French: adaptateur
- German: Adapter
device allowing more plugs at an outlet
- Finnish: haaroitin, sovitin
- French: adaptateur
- German: Steckdosenleiste , Steckerleiste
device allowing plug to fit in an outlet of
different type
- Finnish: sovitin
- French: adaptateur
- German: Adapter
- ttbc Japanese: アダプター, アダプタ
- ttbc Thai: บุคคลหรือสิ่งที่ปรับตัว อุปกรณ์ที่เชื่อมส่วนที่มีขนาดต่างกันให้เข้ากันได้
- ttbc Portuguese: adaptador
- ttbc Spanish: adaptador
French
Pronunciation
Verb
adapter- to adapt
Conjugation
fr-conj-er adaptdefn Estonian
Extensive Definition
An adapter (preferred US spelling) or adaptor
(preferred UK spelling; both spellings in use in UK and US
English)http://www.onelook.com/?w=adapterhttp://www.onelook.com/?w=adaptor
is a device used to match
the physical
or electrical
characteristics
of two different things so that a connection may be made
between them.
An adapter may be very simple, connecting one
kind of plug to another
kind of socket, but not
changing what passes through. One example would be a garden hose,
which normally has threads that
screw
on, but can be attached to an adapter which allows it to snap
easily on and off of faucets, other hoses, or attachments. Likewise, a
serial
port may require an adapter to connect between the old DB-25 type and the
later DE-9 type,
which have 25 and 9 pins (respectively) but only 9 wires each.
Other adapters may include a device that changes
what is passing through, such as a transformer that adapts
household electrical
current from high voltage (100 to 240 volts AC)
to low voltage suitable for consumer
electronics.
See also
References
adapter in Danish: Adapter
adapter in German: Reisestecker
adapter in French: Adaptateur
adapter in Japanese: ACアダプタ
adapter in Polish: Adapter
adapter in Finnish: Adapteri
adapter in Turkish:
Adaptör