What does connector mean?
A connector is something that joins two or more things together. Most often it refers to a physical component — a plug, socket, clamp, or fitting — that links cables, wires, hoses, or pipes so that electricity, signals, fluids, or data can pass between them. Connectors are essential throughout modern life: they attach phone chargers to devices, secure plumbing under sinks, and join network equipment in server rooms. Beyond hardware, the word extends to abstract linking as well. A person described as a connector is one who introduces people to each other and builds networks, while in linguistics a connector is an element such as a conjunction that ties clauses together. The term carries no strong connotation of its own; its tone comes from context, sounding practical in engineering settings and sociable in personal ones. Because connectivity underpins so much technology and communication, "connector" is a useful, widely applicable word across technical and everyday language.
A device or thing that joins two or more things together, especially a component used to link cables, wires, or pipes.
"Loose connectors caused the intermittent power fault."
In electronics and engineering, "connector" refers specifically to a mating pair of components that complete an electrical circuit.
A person or thing that establishes links between people, ideas, or systems.
"Her role as a community connector made her indispensable to the project."
Standard plural form; used freely in both technical and general contexts.
"The kit includes assorted connectors for different cable types."
Every USB-C port in the world is technically a reversible connector — a design fix that took decades of fumbling cables upside-down to inspire.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of connector
Connector derives from the verb connect, which entered English from Latin connectere, meaning "to bind together," formed from com- ("together") plus nectere ("to bind"). The noun connector arose much later, largely in the industrial era, when engineers needed a term for fittings that joined cables and machinery. It shares this Latin root with related words such as connection, connective, and interconnected, all preserving the idea of binding or fastening together.
Related word forms
How connector is actually used
"Connector" is neutral in register and common in both technical writing and everyday speech. In technical contexts it usually refers to a specific hardware component; figurative uses describing socially well-connected people are more conversational and often hyphenate or appear in phrases like "people connector."
Easily confused with connector
A connector is the physical object that joins two things, while a connection is the link itself or the act of connecting.