adapter

American Heritage Dictionary:

a·dapt·er

also a·dap·tor (ə-dăp'tər) pronunciation

One that adapts, such as a device used to effect operative compatibility between different parts of one or more pieces of apparatus.
Computer Science. A hardware device, such as a printed circuit board, that enables a personal computer to use additional peripheral devices or hardware.

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adapter, -or

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The spelling with -er is more than twice as common as that with -or in both senses of the word, although it is useful to reserve adaptor to the device and adapter to the (much less used) meaning 'a person who adapts (something or to something)'.

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McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Architecture & Construction:

adapter

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1. A device for matching and properly connecting items, tubing, or devices (especially electric) which are of different size, operating characteristics, or design.
2. A device that enables different sizes or types of plugs, pipes, etc., to be joined.

adapter

Oxford Dictionary of Biochemistry:

adaptor

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any of various devices useful for joining together two or more parts, otherwise incompatible, such as electrical connectors or pieces of glassware.
any synthetic single- or double-stranded oligodeoxynucleotide useful in recombinant DNA technology for joining two incompatible cohesive ends of restriction fragments. Compare linker.
or adaptor molecule the molecule that was postulated as carrying the amino acid to the (messenger) RNA in the adaptor hypothesis of protein synthesis, now known to be a tRNA molecule.

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Random House Word Menu:

categories related to 'adapter'

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Random House Word Menu by Stephen Glazier

For a list of words related to adapter, see:

Building and Machine Parts - adapter: connector that enables different parts or devices to fit or function together
Hardware and Supplies - adapter: any of various pieces of hardware that permit nonmatching parts to mesh, connect, or function together

Rhymes:

adaptor

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See words rhyming with "adaptor."

Wikipedia on Answers.com:

Adapter

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For other uses, see Adapter (disambiguation).

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (December 2007)

A travel adapter which allows a user to plug an appliance in to any receptacle in Europe, Australia, and North America.

This mains power plug travel adapter allows European or British plugs to be inserted into American or Australian sockets

An adapter or adaptor^[1] is a person that adapts or a device that converts attributes of one device or system to those of an otherwise incompatible device or system.

Some adapters may only affect physical attributes:

An electrical adapter may enable connection of a socket used in one region to a plug used in another by offering connections for the disparate contact arrangements, while not changing the voltage. For more, see: Domestic AC power plugs and sockets.
A garden hose adapter can convert between threads and quick-release, "snap"-type connections.
One kind of serial port adapter enables connections between 25-contact and nine-contact connectors, but does not affect electrical power- and signalling-related attributes.

Other adapters may affect electrical attributes:

A transformer adapts household electric current from high voltage (100 to 240 volts AC) to low voltage suitable for consumer electronics. These adapters will warm through converting alternating current to direct current , but are safe to the environment and can withstand months of continuous prolonged activity.

Dangers of Near, but slightly different standards

As Chinese plug pins are slightly thinner than Australian plugs, plug adaptors sold on ebay and elsewhere claiming conversion from UK or other worldwide plugs to a common Australian/Chinese standard can cause serious problems as the Chinese pins fit loosely in Australian sockets causing sparking and other problems. The thicker pins on Australian plugs cannot be inserted easily into Chinese standard sockets, while the thinner pins on Chinese adapters will fit loosely in Australian sockets.

References

^ Both spellings are used in both British and American English. According to all major US dictionaries (listed first below) the spelling adapter is more common in American English. Only a few UK dictionaries (listed below) consider adapter more common, most UK dictionaries - including Chambers, Collins and the OED - list adaptor first.
- "Merriam-Webster:adapter". Merriam-Webster, Inc.. 2010. http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adapter. Retrieved 2010-02-07. "Main Entry: adapter. Variant(s): 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"
- "Random House Dictionary:adapter". Random House, Inc.. 2010. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/adapter. Retrieved 2010-02-07. "a⋅dapt⋅er –noun 1. a person or thing that adapts. 2. a connector for joining parts or devices having different sizes, designs, etc., enabling them to be fitted or to work together. 3. an accessory to convert a machine, tool, or part to a new or modified use. Also, a⋅dap⋅tor."
- "American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition:adapter". Houghton Mifflin Company. 2009. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/adapter. Retrieved 2010-02-07. "a·dapt·er also a·dap·tor n. 1. One that adapts, such as a device used to effect operative compatibility between different parts of one or more pieces of apparatus. 2. Computer Science A hardware device, such as a printed circuit board, that enables a personal computer to use additional peripheral devices or hardware."
- Oxford English Dictionary (2nd ed.). Oxford University Press. 1989. "adapter, -or. 1. One who adapts. a. One who fits or suits one thing to another. b. One who modifies or alters a composition to suit it to new purposes. 2. A connecting part: in Chem. a tube to connect two pieces of apparatus; in Optics, a metal ring with screw threads to unite two lengths of a telescope; a ‘sliding fitting’ in an optical instrument."
- "Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary". Cambridge University Press. 2010. http://dictionary.cambridge.org/results.asp?dict=B&searchword=adapter. Retrieved 2010-02-07. "adapter noun (DEVICE) (also adaptor) 1) mainly UK: a type of plug which makes it possible to connect two or more pieces of equipment to the same electrical supply 2) a device which is used to connect two pieces of equipment. adapter noun (WRITER) (also adaptor) a person who makes slight changes to a book, play or other piece of text so that it can be performed"
- "Macmillan English Dictionary". Macmillan Publishers Limited. 2010. http://www.macmillandictionary.com/dictionary/british/adapter. Retrieved 2010-04-14. "adapter noun [countable] /əˈdæptə(r)/ or adaptor an object that allows you to connect two pieces of equipment of different types or sizes a. BRITISH an object that allows you to connect several pieces of electrical equipment to one electricity supply b. an object that allows you to use electrical equipment in countries where there is a different type of electricity supply from your own"
- Oxford Dictionary. "adaptor". Compact Oxford English Dictionary. Oxford University Press. http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/adaptor?view=uk. Retrieved 2010-02-16.

External links

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Translations:

Adapter

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Dansk (Danish)
n. - adapter, transformator

Nederlands (Dutch)
adapter (elektrisch), stekkerdoos, iemand die zich aanpast

Français (French)
n. - adaptateur (qn), auteur d'une adaptation, (GB, Élec) prise multiple, raccord, (Phot) bague intermédiaire

Deutsch (German)
n. - (tech.) Adapter, Zwischenstecker

Ελληνική (Greek)
n. - (ηλεκτρ.) προσαρμογέας, προσαρμοστής

Italiano (Italian)
adattatore, riduttore, raccordo

Português (Portuguese)
n. - adaptador (m), ligador (m) (Téc.)

Русский (Russian)
соединительное устройство, адаптер, тот, кто адаптирует, розетка, гнездо (тех), приспособление для соединения различных деталей в технике

Español (Spanish)
n. - adaptador, enchufe múltiple

Svenska (Swedish)
n. - adapter, bearbetare

中文（简体）(Chinese (Simplified))
改编者, 接合器, 适配器, 接头, 转接器

中文（繁體）(Chinese (Traditional))
n. - 改編者, 接合器, 適配器, 接頭, 轉接器

한국어 (Korean)
n. - 개작자, 가감장치, 유도관

日本語 (Japanese)
n. - 適合させる人, 改作者

العربيه (Arabic)
‏(الاسم) أدة الربط بين جزئين, ألمكيف, ألوصله‏

עברית (Hebrew)
n. - ‮מתאם, התקן התאמה, התקן המחבר התקנים או חלקים שונים זה מזה ומאפשר להם לפעול יחד, אמצעי-עזר להעברת מכונה, מכשיר, או חלק לשימוש חדש‬

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		American Heritage Dictionary. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition Copyright © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. Read more
		Fowler's Modern English Usage. Oxford University Press. © 1999, 2004 All rights reserved. Read more
		McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Architecture & Construction. McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Architecture and Construction. Copyright © 2003 by McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved. Read more
		Oxford Dictionary of Biochemistry. Oxford University Press. Oxford Dictionary of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology © 1997, 2000, 2006 All rights reserved. Read more
		Random House Word Menu. © 2010 Write Brothers Inc. Word Menu is a registered trademark of the Estate of Stephen Glazier. Write Brothers Inc. All rights reserved. Read more
		Rhymes. Oxford University Press. © 2006, 2007 All rights reserved. Read more
		Wikipedia on Answers.com. This article is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article Adapter. Read more
		Translations. Copyright © 2007, WizCom Technologies Ltd. All rights reserved. Read more

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