dongle
noun
a hardware device, paired with a licensed copy of a software program, that must be plugged into a computer to authorize every use of the software.
dongles
-
pluralof dongle.plural
The grammatical form denoting more than one person, place, thing, or idea.
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.
There are many dongles out there; I used the LELink.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 15, 2026
ADAC, Germany’s largest automobile club, warned against using so-called fuel-saving onboard diagnosis dongles, saying it had recently tested one that “blinks and somehow looks like it is doing something. It isn’t.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 20, 2026
Current EV owners will have to get used to a life full of adapter dongles and home chargers that can hop between plug standards.
From Slate ● Sep. 27, 2023
Asus includes a USB-C to USB-A adapter in the Zenbook’s box, but needing to use dongles left and right is still a hassle.
From The Verge ● Aug. 15, 2022
There are no batteries, space constraints, multiple cables and dongles, or driver woes to worry about.
From The Verge ● Dec. 14, 2021
