USB

American

abbreviation

Computers.

universal serial bus: an external serial bus interface standard for connecting peripheral devices to a computer, as in a or .

USB British

abbreviation

Universal Serial Bus: a standard for connection sockets on computers and other electronic equipment

"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 USB

First recorded in 1995

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.

See Examples For:

USB

Kang noted the influence of South Korean dramas smuggled in on USB drives, finding them "so refreshing and more credible than North Korea state propaganda".

From Barron's ● Sep. 28, 2026

On another occasion she said a man had to be removed from the booth three times before returning and scrolling through the USB containing her music.

From BBC ● Sep. 10, 2026

The USB Implementers Forum maintains a rigorous certification process for products—from laptops and cellphones to chargers and electric toothbrushes—bearing the USB logo, says Jeff Ravencraft, USB-IF’s president and chief operations officer.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026

Rather than trying to brighten the room, he leaned into the moodiness by buying inexpensive, USB battery-powered spotlights that are mounted on the ceiling with magnets.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 2026

Without ever taking her eyes from her phone, Daisy reached into her purse, pulled out a USB cable, and handed it to me.

From "Turtles All the Way Down" by John Green

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