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set-top

American

[set-top] / ˈsɛtˌtɒp /

adjective

denoting a device designed to sit atop a television and serve as a link to interactive communications systems.

set-top boxes that allow viewers to order movies on demand.

Etymology

Origin of set-top

First recorded in 1990–95

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.

Users record from the Toosheh satellite TV channel onto a USB stick plugged into their set-top box, which they can then decrypt using a special app installed on their phone or computer.

From Barron's • Mar. 13, 2026

Michael Ramsay, TiVo’s co-founder, blamed the price, arguing that DVRs wouldn’t reach mass-market penetration until they were priced as about a $100 “add-on” to cable set-top boxes.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 9, 2025

"When we went into the spare bedroom, there were 20 or 30 set-top boxes linked together."

From BBC • May 30, 2023

The jury in Salt Lake City reached its decision on Friday in ClearPlay's lawsuit against Dish, finding that Dish's AutoHop feature for skipping commercials on its Hopper set-top boxes is covered by ClearPlay's patents.

From Reuters • Mar. 13, 2023

They have handed out Russian passports, cellphone numbers and set-top boxes for watching Russian television.

From New York Times • Jul. 30, 2022

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023