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
First recorded in 1920–25; adjective and noun use of verb phrase plug in
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
In January, Beijing halved a tax exemption for plug-in vehicles and reduced subsidies when people trade in an old vehicle for an electric vehicle, hitting EV sales.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 12, 2026
The point of plug-in solar isn’t to zero out a home’s energy consumption—that likely requires a big, professionally installed rig costing tens of thousands of dollars.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026
Along the way, I learned a few things: To take full advantage of plug-in solar, it has to be on its own dedicated circuit.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 5, 2026
Forecast for the percentage of 2026 global sales of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid cars, from 25% in 2025.
From Barron's • May 22, 2026
You may think that music is a luxury, a plug-in to make human life more enjoyable.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
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.
