dial-up

American  

[dahy-uhl-uhp, dahyl-] / ˈdaɪ əlˌʌp, ˈdaɪl- /

adjective

Computers.

1. relating to or denoting a type of computer data transmission encoded in audio format and transmitted through a telephone call to an internet service provider.

   A dial-up connection to the internet is too slow to play most online video games.

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Etymology

Origin of dial-up

First recorded in 1960–65; adjective use of verb phrase dial up

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

dial-up

June, now 63, said her home office at the time had a dial-up modem, trading software downloaded from a compact disc and a dodgy internet connection.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 10, 2026

On the variable cost side of the coin, spending on graphics processing units and data centers, as well as massive electricity bills, are sending tech companies’ capital-light models the way of the dial-up modem.

From Barron's ● Mar. 5, 2026

The rolling green grassy hills and blue sky of our Windows XP background greeted me, and I’d feel feverish waiting as the AOL dial-up internet made its torturously slow connection.

From Slate ● Aug. 12, 2025

The firm's dial-up offering connects to the internet via a phone line and currently only exists in the US and Canada.

From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2025

I get all my headlines from Libby; we still have a dial-up modem at home, and thus all Facebook monitoring is done at her house.

From "Better Nate Than Ever" by Tim Federle