router

¹ American  

[rou-ter] / ˈraʊ tər /

noun

1. any of various tools or machines for routing, hollowing out, or furrowing.

2. Also called router plane.  Carpentry. a plane for cutting interior angles, as at the bottom of a groove.

3. a machine or tool for cutting into or below a main surface, as of a die or engraving plate.

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verb (used with object)

1. to cut with a router.

router ² American  

[roo-ter, rou-] / ˈru tər, ˈraʊ- /

noun

1. a person or thing that routes.

2. a piece of hardware or software having a specific IP address and connected to network nodes for the transfer of data between computers.

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router ¹ British  

/ ˈraʊtə /

noun

1. any of various tools or machines for hollowing out, cutting grooves, etc

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router ² British  

/ ˈruːtə /

noun

1. computing a device that allows packets of data to be moved efficiently between two points on a network

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router Scientific  

/ rou′tər /

1. A device in a network that handles message transfers between computers. A router receives information and forwards it based on what the router determines to be the most efficient route at the time of transfer.

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Etymology

Origin of router¹

First recorded in 1840–50; rout ² + -er ¹

Origin of router²

First recorded in 1900–05; route + -er ¹

Example Sentences

Officials at other agencies pursued a ban on a China-linked router maker by styling it as an order that doesn’t name the company or China.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

She also uses a floating router jib for most of their joinery since the machine can’t rest on the wood’s uneven surface.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2026

So you don’t need a VPN router or connection sharing to stream over VPN.

From Salon • Mar. 27, 2026

Any new router made outside the US will now need to be approved by the FCC before it can be imported, marketed, or sold in the country.

From BBC • Mar. 23, 2026

Nurse Evil turns off the router and our communication ends.

From "Everything, Everything" by Nicola Yoon