SIM card

American

[sim] / sɪm /

noun

Subscriber Identity/Identification Module: a removable card inside a cell phone that stores data unique to the user, as an identification number, passwords, phone numbers, and messages.

SIM Card British

acronym

subscriber identity module card; a small card used in a mobile phone to store data about the network, telephone number, etc

"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 SIM card

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.

Even before the new venture was established, TikTok collected location information based on a user's SIM card or IP address, or both.

From BBC • Jan. 23, 2026

Astrologers consult a national zodiac, palm readers ring pagodas, would-be alchemists attempt to transmute mercury into gold and SIM card companies advertise dial-a-diviners.

From Barron's • Dec. 21, 2025

The Oslo transport authority, Ruter, said the bus’s mobile-network connection via a Romanian SIM card gave manufacturer Yutong access to the control system for battery and power supply.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 19, 2025

Until now, security vulnerabilities have been studied using 'account access graphs', which shows the phone, the SIM card, the Apps, and the security features that limit each stage of access.

From Science Daily • Jan. 22, 2024

Many countries will allow you to purchase a pre-paid SIM card for service after you arrive in-country for use with your existing smartphone or another you buy abroad.

From Salon • Mar. 29, 2019

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