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:
New-energy vehicles, including plug-in hybrids and battery EVs, accounted for more than half of Geely’s total deliveries in the first half.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 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
Ian Plummer, chief customer officer of car selling website Autotrader, says the rising EV demand is "driven by intensifying competition and rising consumer interest in plug-in cars".
From BBC ● Jul. 8, 2026
The other food—sliced turkey, ham, roast beef, and salami, a big tub of tuna salad, and meatballs in a plug-in pot—was off-limits.
From "When You Reach Me" by Rebecca Stead
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
Also, when you plug in at night, the lights keep a steady, flashing vigil.
From The Wall Street Journal ● May 16, 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
His mom wouldn’t let him plug in because it would be too loud, so I had to lean over.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 26, 2026
I plug in my phone and it starts pinging with message after message.
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
China’s exports of EVs more than doubled in March from a year earlier as rising fuel prices boosted the appeal of plug-ins.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 12, 2026
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 company also released plug-ins for finance, customer service and other areas.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 3, 2026
Sales of hybrids performed well, although Toyota stressed it was working hard to offer various kinds of electric vehicles, including battery EVs, plug-ins and fuel cell models.
From Seattle Times ● May 7, 2024
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.
