VPN

American  

Computers.

1. virtual private network: a system or technology that uses a public network, usually the internet, to transmit encrypted data between a private network and a remote authorized user.

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VPN British  

abbreviation

1. virtual private network: a network that uses the internet to transfer information using secure methods

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Etymology

Origin of VPN

First recorded in 1980–85

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

VPN

It can also spot who's using encryption or a VPN.

From Barron's ● Sep. 11, 2026

Antivirus software alone is unlikely to trigger a captcha, Xiang says, though security software that routes traffic through a proxy or VPN might do so.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026

Apple Maps, which doesn’t require a VPN in China, also displayed “Lake Ontario.”

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 1, 2026

The geoblock means people based in the UK are unable to access the site, unless they mask their location through a VPN or similar means.

From BBC ● Jul. 20, 2026

This VPN allows us to share the feed from the microphone, images from the session, the real-time script, and all the animation designs amongst all the locations with a simple log-in.

From "The World Is Flat" by Thomas L. Friedman

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