Definition

1. Noun:
   • A hardware security device: A dongle is a small piece of hardware that must be physically connected to a computer to enable the use of specific, often proprietary or expensive, software. It acts as a copy protection or licensing key.
   • A small adapter or peripheral: More broadly, the term can refer to any small external device that plugs into a port to provide additional functionality, such as a wireless network adapter or a Bluetooth receiver.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The professional video editing software requires a dongle to run.
  • I lost the Wi-Fi dongle for my desktop computer, so I can't connect to the internet.
  • The dongle for the software is attached to the USB port on the server.

Advanced Usage

• Software protection dongle: Also called a hardware key, it contains licensed software or cryptographic keys to prevent unauthorized copying or use.
  • The company uses dongles to prevent piracy of its expensive CAD software.
• Connectivity dongle: A device that adds a capability the host computer lacks, like a specific port or wireless standard.
  • This USB-C to HDMI dongle allows you to connect your laptop to a monitor.

Variants and Related Words

• Hardware key: A synonym specifically for a dongle used for software copy protection.
• Security token: A broader term for a physical device used for user authentication, which can include some types of dongles.
• Adapter: A more general term for a device that allows connection between incompatible interfaces.

Synonyms

• Hardware key
• Security device
• Adapter (in the broader sense)
• Peripheral

Related Phrases (Phrasal Verbs)

(Not typically applicable for this noun.)

Related Idioms

(Not typically applicable for this noun.)

Noun

1. (computer science) an electronic device that must be attached to a computer in order for it to use protected software