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proxy server

American  
[prok-see sur-ver] / ˈprɒk si ˌsɜr vər /

noun

Computers.
  1. a server that receives requests, filters them, and forwards them to a network on behalf of another computer or network which it represents under a surrogate IP address: used to provide anonymity or increased security or to carry out intermediate processing.


proxy server British  

noun

  1. computing a computer that acts as an intermediary between a client machine and a server, caching information to save access time

"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

Etymology

Origin of proxy server

First recorded in 1985–90

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.

Like with a VPN, when using a proxy server, you’re bouncing your connection over a remote server before sending it to its final destination.

From Salon • Nov. 26, 2025

I’m using a proxy server that a friend, who’s been using it for work, just opened up for the rest of us in a Telegram tech group.

From The Verge • Apr. 17, 2018

When a search results in “can’t be displayed,” it could be ad-blockers, a proxy server setting, or something else, writes Patrick Marshall.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 29, 2016

The 20-year-old from Nottingham is believed to have been running a proxy server that connected to addresses banned by service providers in the UK.

From BBC • Aug. 7, 2014

Rather than directly accessing the original Web page in its original language, users can instead indirectly access the page via a proxy server offering translation features.

From Children's Internet Protection Act (CIPA) Ruling by United States District Court For The Eastern District Of Pennsylvania