plug-in
adjective
capable of or designed for being connected to an electrical power source by plugging in or inserting: a plug-in transistor.
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plugin.
plug in
British
verb
noun
-
a device that can be connected by means of a plug
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computing a module or piece of software that can be added to a system to provide extra functions or features, esp software that enhances the capabilities of a web browser
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computing ( as modifier )
plug-in memory cards
plug-in
Scientific
/ plŭg′ĭn′ /
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of plug-in
First recorded in 1920–25; adjective and noun use of verb phrase plug in
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Berlin would push for "concrete measures" from Brussels in areas including plug-in hybrids and local content requirements, he said.
From Barron's ● Sep. 17, 2026
Hyundai, Ford and Jeep parent Stellantis are planning a new kind of plug-in vehicle called an extended-range EV.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 6, 2026
Engineers say EREVs should deliver a better experience than current plug-in hybrids.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 6, 2026
Balcony panels are already certified in Germany, where plug-in solar is popular.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 31, 2026
You may think that music is a luxury, a plug-in to make human life more enjoyable.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
Artificial intelligence users are shopping around as US giants face fierce competition from Chinese rivals -- and in Beijing's tech district, drinkers at an AI-themed bar can even plug in to DeepSeek for free.
From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 2026
With digital cameras offering an element of surprise when you plug in the memory card reader to your computer at home, digital cameras capture a moment in time.
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026
“As much as you like somebody, you wouldn’t want to, like, literally plug in their brain next to yours.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 28, 2026
“I just plug in the same way I always have. I have spent zero seconds modifying my behavior as a result of this war.”
From MarketWatch ● May 2, 2026
“Like a handheld recorder or something. Something you didn’t have to plug in but could walk around with. And I didn’t ask why. I told her to wait right there and I’d get one.”
From "Thirteen Reasons Why" by Jay Asher
China’s exports of EVs more than doubled in March from a year earlier as rising fuel prices boosted the appeal of plug-ins.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 12, 2026
Customers can create private plug-ins from scratch or customize plug-ins based on Claude’s starter templates, which include options for human resources, equity research, engineering, wealth management, and other functions.
From Barron's ● Feb. 23, 2026
The Cowork plug-ins were like a match on dry tinder.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 5, 2026
Making music, once the very definition of artistic collaboration, now more often than not occurs in isolation with a vast library of plug-ins designed to mimic the sounds of various recording studios.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 20, 2024
I see that it could be possible to use the logic board from the first one, and the chipsets and plug-ins from the other two.
From "Counting by 7s" by Holly Goldberg Sloan
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
