browser
Americannoun
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a person or thing that browses.
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Digital Technology. a software program that allows the user to find and read encoded documents in a form suitable for display, especially such a program for use on the internet.
You may need to pause internet security features and refresh the page in your web browser to play the embedded videos.
noun
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a person or animal that browses
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computing a software package that enables a user to find and read hypertext files, esp on the Internet
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of browser
browse ( def. ) + -er 1 ( def. ); browser def. 1 was first recorded in 1680–90, and browser def. 2 in 1980–85
Explanation
A browser is a looker: either a program that lets you surf the Internet or a person in a store who just looks around without buying. This is a word that has to do with looking around, otherwise known as browsing. You probably use web browsers, which allow you to see websites on a computer. But you could also be a browser if you go to a store and just look around. Being a browser is a good way to kill time, but as soon as you make a purchase, you've gone from being a browser to being a customer.
Vocabulary lists containing browser
Computer Science and Technology - Introductory
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Computer Science and Technology - Middle School
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Computer Science and Technology - High School
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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.
Cybersecurity firm Palo Alto Networks and Mozilla, the organization behind the Firefox internet browser, recently said the model let them find many more software vulnerabilities than they normally would.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 18, 2026
It makes sense to compare the debuts of the pioneering web browser and the AI agent, because the rallies that followed were driven by a similar need — the need for more speed.
From MarketWatch • May 15, 2026
Sixtus's tool is installed initially via the web browser version of Spotify.
From BBC • Apr. 27, 2026
A user’s browser or app replaces physical credit numbers with a unique virtual card number, which hides personal payment card details from the merchant and protects against fraud.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 21, 2026
I open my browser and type Stella Grant into Google, not expecting much.
From "Five Feet Apart" by Rachael Lippincott
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.
