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Synonyms

input device

American  

noun

  1. a peripheral device, as a keyboard or stylus, used to enter data into a computer for processing.

input device British  

noun

  1. computing a peripheral device that accepts data and feeds it into a computer

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
input device Scientific  
/ ĭn′pt′ /

  1. A device, such as a keyboard or a mouse, that is used to enter information into a computer.

Etymology

Origin of input device

First recorded in 1925–30

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.

Not every input device needs to have the feedback of a mechanical keyboard, but it’s nice to know when you’ve actually typed a letter on an onscreen board.

From The Verge • Sep. 10, 2022

So in 1965, when the IBM System/360 mainframe rolled out, it only made sense that the Selectric’s keyboard served as the computer’s primary input device.

From Time • May 3, 2016

When paired in this way, the Solu acts as an input device instead of a mouse.

From The Guardian • Oct. 16, 2015

By the end of this century, and quite possibly much sooner, every input device that has ever been sold will be obsolete.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 17, 2014

For example, if the game doesn’t require analogue controls, the touchpads can be used as an alternate input device.

From Forbes • Feb. 14, 2013

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.