Adapter

Adapter

An adapter or adaptor (both spellings in use in UK and US English) [http://www.onelook.com/?w=adapter] [http://www.onelook.com/?w=adaptor] is a device used to match the 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 electric current from high voltage (100 to 240 volts AC) to low voltage suitable for consumer electronics.

References


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  • adapter — [ adapte ] v. tr. <conjug. : 1> • 1270; lat. adaptare « ajuster à », de ad et aptus « apte » 1 ♦ Réunir (une chose à une autre), appliquer après ajustement. ⇒ ajuster, joindre, rattacher. Adapter des roulettes aux pieds d une table, un… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Adapter — es un convertidor de archivos multimedia. Su función radica en transformar entre diversos formatos de audio, video e imágenes. Es freeware y es desarrollado por Macroplant. Funciona en Mac OS X (10.5, 10.6 o posterior) y Windows (7, Vista o XP).… …   Wikipedia Español

  • adapter — UK [əˈdæptə(r)] / US [əˈdæptər] or adaptor UK / US noun [countable] Word forms adapter : singular adapter plural adapters an object that allows you to connect two pieces of equipment of different types or sizes a) British an object that allows… …   English dictionary

  • adapter — ADAPTER. v. a. Appliquer, ajuster une chose à une autre. Adapter un récipient au chapiteau d une cornue. f♛/b] Il se dit aussi De l application qu on fait d un mot, d un passage à une personne, à un sujet. Ce vers de Virgile lui est bien adapté.… …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie Française 1798

  • adapter — adapter, or 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… …   Modern English usage

  • adapter — Adapter. v.a. Appliquer, faire convenir une chose à une autre, il ne se dit guere qu en parlant de discours. On luy peut bien adapter ce passage de l Escriture sainte. ce vers de Virgile luy est bien adapté …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • Adapter — A*dapt er, n. 1. One who adapts. [1913 Webster] 2. (Chem.) A connecting tube; an adopter. [1913 Webster] 3. (Chem., Elec., Mech.) Any device connecting two parts of an apparatus (e.g. tubes of different diameters, or electric cords with different …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • adapter — (n.) 1801, agent noun from ADAPT (Cf. adapt). Electrical engineering sense from 1907 …   Etymology dictionary

  • adapter — {{/stl 13}}{{stl 8}}rz. mnż I, D. a || u, Mc. adaptererze {{/stl 8}}{{stl 7}} elektromechaniczny odtwarzacz płyt gramofonowych, gramofon elektryczny <ang. z łac.) {{/stl 7}} …   Langenscheidt Polski wyjaśnień

  • adapter — or adaptor [ə dap′tər] n. 1. a person or thing that adapts 2. a contrivance for adapting apparatus to new uses 3. a connecting device for parts that would not otherwise fit together …   English World dictionary

  • Adapter — Ein Adapter (m, lat. aptus, a,um = passend, geeignet; Mehrzahl: Adapter) ist ein Stück, das der Verbindung verschiedener mechanischer oder elektrischer Geräte dient. Adapter zum Ersatz der Elektronenröhre ECH11 durch die ECH81 …   Deutsch Wikipedia

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