floppy disk

American  

[flop-ee disk] / ˈflɒp i ˈdɪsk /

Or floppydisk

noun

Computers.

1. a portable storage medium consisting of a square plastic case containing a thin disk coated with magnetic material that is inserted into a drive to read and write data: popular from the 1970s through the 1990s.

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floppy disk British  

noun

1. Also called: diskette.   flexible disk.  a flexible removable magnetic disk that stores information and can be used to store data for use in a microprocessor

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floppy disk Scientific  

/ flŏp′pē /

1. A flexible plastic disk coated with magnetic material and covered by a protective jacket, used for storing data. Floppy disks were once the principal storage medium for personal computers, but inexpensive hard disks and writable compact disks have greatly diminished their role.

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Etymology

Origin of floppy disk

First recorded in 1970–75; called floppy from the fact that the earliest (8 inch) disk housing was somewhat flexible, though later (3.5 inch) disks had a rigid plastic case

Compare meaning

How does floppy-disk compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• floppy disk vs. hard disk

Example Sentences

“That advice has not aged well—it has the practical value of a floppy disk today,” wrote Gill.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 17, 2026

He doesn’t have the internet on his computer and continues to save his work to a floppy disk, which he walks down the hall to his assistant at the end of the work day.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 3, 2024

It has been two decades since their heyday, but one bulk supplier of the iconic 3.5-inch floppy disk used to store data in 1990s says business is still booming.

From Reuters • Oct. 21, 2022

Turning to storage devices, he asked: "Where does one even buy a floppy disk these days?"

From BBC • Sep. 1, 2022

He inserted the floppy disk and began typing.

From "The Hot Zone" by Richard Preston

Related Words

• disk
• diskette
• floppy