connector

connector — noun

1. a small piece of hardware, usually a plug or socket, that joins one cable or ele

1.nounB2
Definition

a small piece of hardware, usually a plug or socket, that joins one cable or electrical part to another so that an electric current can pass between them.

Example

Aoi snapped a USB-C connector into the back of the new monitor.

[type] + connector for naming a specific plug

The headphones came with a thin gold connector that fits most laptops.

noun + that-clause describing what the connector fits

Common collocations
  • USB connector
  • power connector
  • audio connector
  • male/female connector
  • pin in the connector
Synonyms
  • plug

    the male end you push in; a connector can be either male or female

  • socket

    the female receptacle that receives a plug; a specific kind of connector

  • jack

    informal, mainly for audio sockets such as a headphone jack

Grammar Patterns

[noun] connector

connector for [noun]

Usage Note

Often modified by the type of plug (USB, HDMI, jack) or the equipment it serves (headphone connector, power connector). Distinguish from sense 2, which carries fluids rather than current.

Common Mistakes

Plug the connector to the wall and turn on the TV.
Plug the connector into the wall and turn on the TV.
the natural preposition with 'plug' and 'connector' is 'into', not 'to'.

2. a small fitting that joins two pipes, hoses, or tubes end to end so that water,

2.nounB2
Definition

a small fitting that joins two pipes, hoses, or tubes end to end so that water, gas, or air can travel through them without leaking.

Example

Nila tightened the plastic connector between the garden hose and the kitchen tap.

connector between A and B

Water sprayed across the floor because the brass connector under the sink had cracked.

scenario: cracked / broken connector causing a leak

Common collocations
  • hose connector
  • pipe connector
  • brass connector
  • rubber connector
  • tighten the connector
Synonyms
  • coupling

    more technical; used by plumbers and engineers for the same fitting

  • fitting

    broader term covering elbows, tees, and other shapes as well

  • adapter

    used when the two pipes have different sizes or thread types

Grammar Patterns

[noun] connector

connector between [noun] and [noun]

Usage Note

Subject of the verb is usually a person fitting or replacing it, or the connector itself leaking, cracking, or fitting a particular pipe. Distinguish from sense 1: this one carries fluids or gas, not electricity.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All five words name parts that join electrical equipment, but they sit at different levels of generality. 'Connector' is the umbrella term covering both the male end and the female end of a join, and engineers and product manuals prefer it. 'Plug' is specifically the male part with prongs or pins that pushes into something else, while 'socket' is the female receptacle that receives a plug; everyday speakers often use these two when 'connector' would also work. 'Jack' is more informal and is mostly used for small audio sockets, as in 'headphone jack'. 'Adapter' is different again: it joins two connectors of incompatible shape or standard, such as a UK-to-EU travel adapter. Compare: 'Push the plug into the socket' (everyday), 'This cable has a USB-C connector at one end' (technical), 'I need a UK adapter for my charger' (changing standards).

connector ↗plug ↗socket ↗jackadapter

Common collocations

Nouns

  • USB connector
  • HDMI connector
  • power connector
  • audio connector
  • hose connector
  • pipe connector

Phrases

  • male connector
  • female connector
  • loose connector
  • plug in a connector

Prepositions

  • connector for
  • connector between
  • connector on
  • connector to

Etymology

LatinEnglish

Formed in English in the early nineteenth century from the verb 'connect' plus the agent suffix '-or', which marks something or someone that performs the action. 'Connect' itself comes from the Latin 'conectere', built from 'con-' meaning 'together' and 'nectere' meaning 'to bind' or 'to tie'. The word originally described any device that linked two things, and from the late nineteenth century onward it was increasingly applied to electrical and plumbing fittings as those industries grew.