plug-in
adjective
capable of or designed for being connected to an electrical power source by plugging in or inserting: a plug-in transistor.
plug in
British
verb
noun
-
a device that can be connected by means of a plug
-
computing a module or piece of software that can be added to a system to provide extra functions or features, esp software that enhances the capabilities of a web browser
-
computing ( as modifier )
plug-in memory cards
plug-in
Scientific
/ plŭg′ĭn′ /
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of plug-in
First recorded in 1920–25; adjective and noun use of verb phrase plug in
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.
See Examples For:
It hopes plug-in solar panels will help households save money and reduce reliance on overseas fuel sources, the price of which has fluctuated in recent months due to the Middle East conflict.
From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026
Fully electric and plug-in hybrid sales accounted for less than 8% of all car sales in June, down from a peak of just over 12% right before the tax break was killed off.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 4, 2026
It said that 52 percent of its passenger car sales in Europe are now electrified vehicles -- fully electric, plug-in hybrids and non-plug-in hybrids -- up from 43.8 percent in the first half of 2025.
From Barron's ● Jul. 23, 2026
An escalation in European Union trade barriers could pose some risks, as the bloc plans to extend tariff hikes to imports of Chinese plug-in hybrids, they say.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
I drop to my knees and rummage through, finally landing upon my beloved/hated Nokia plug-in.
From "Better Nate Than Ever" by Tim Federle
There, too, Nvidia is deploying its balance sheet to make sure customers have somewhere to plug in servers.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 28, 2026
With digital cameras offering an element of surprise when you plug in the memory card reader to your computer at home, digital cameras capture a moment in time.
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026
Although the vehicles may be capable of driving themselves, they can’t clean their own interiors, plug in a charging cable or repair hardware.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 30, 2026
To game that out, Klosterman said you could invent and plug in a weather forecast with higher temperatures.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 26, 2026
Every year, someone from the village gets chosen to plug in the lights on the village hall, and then, one by one, everyone else in the village switches their Christmas lights on.
From "How to Disappear Completely" by Ali Standish
Customers can create private plug-ins from scratch or customize plug-ins based on Claude’s starter templates, which include options for human resources, equity research, engineering, wealth management, and other functions.
From Barron's ● Feb. 23, 2026
The Cowork plug-ins were like a match on dry tinder.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 5, 2026
The 11 plug-ins have a range of focus, including the legal profession.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 5, 2026
A wave of new hybrid models is coming online in 2025, both traditional hybrids and plug-ins.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 15, 2025
I see that it could be possible to use the logic board from the first one, and the chipsets and plug-ins from the other two.
From "Counting by 7s" by Holly Goldberg Sloan
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.
