motherboard

American  

[muhth-er-bawrd, -bohrd] / ˈmʌð ərˌbɔrd, -ˌboʊrd /

noun

Computers.

1. a rigid, slotted board upon which other boards that contain the basic circuitry of a computer or of a computer component can be mounted.

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motherboard British  

/ ˈmʌðəˌbɔːd /

noun

1. (in an electronic system) a printed circuit board through which signals between all other boards are routed

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motherboard Scientific  

/ mŭth′ər-bôrd′ /

1. The main circuit board of a computer, usually containing the central processing unit and main system memory as well as circuitry that controls the disk drives, keyboard, monitor, and other peripheral devices.

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Etymology

Origin of motherboard

mother ¹ + board

Example Sentences

"They had the same motherboard communication system with the driver board, and with the lightboard and the soundboard. So they were somewhat interchangeable," Ashley said.

From Salon • Jun. 18, 2023

Flora points out a motherboard in the palm of one plastic hand - that's the computer that will translate the user's nerve signals into movement.

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2023

It is a sleek pod — half spaceship, half motherboard, with glass floors and a ceiling circuited with green neon tubes — on the eighth floor of a building in the bustling Shibuya district.

From New York Times • Feb. 25, 2023

The jump scares in the fun, funny thrill ride that is “M3GAN” elicit more giggles than groans, but there are also intriguing connections being made on “M3GAN’s” motherboard, behind the glossy surface.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 4, 2023

Eric’s computer: an AMD K-6 233 with a generic motherboard; an S3 video card, a 15-inch monitor; a 2.5 GB hard drive with 36 MB SDRAM.

From "Geeks: How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet Out of Idaho" by Jon Katz

Related Words

• microchip