router

1 of 3

noun (1)

rout·​er ˈrau̇-tər 

: one that routs: such as

a

: a routing plane

b

: a machine with a revolving vertical spindle and cutter for milling out the surface of wood or metal

router

2 of 3

noun (2)

rout·​er ˈrü-tər 

ˈrau̇-

: one that routes

especially : a device that mediates the transmission routes of data packets over an electronic communications network (such as the Internet)

router

3 of 3

noun (3)

rout·​er ˈrü-tər 

ˈrau̇-

: a horse trained for distance races

Examples of router in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Cybersecurity WiFi routers from Chinese manufacturers may be considered for future bans By This story incorporates reporting from Forbes, MSN and MSN. —Quartz Intelligence Newsroom, Quartz, 27 Jan. 2025

In recent years, the FBI has occasionally gotten legal permission to boot malicious software from home routers that had been hacked in mass campaigns. —Kevin Collier, NBC News, 7 Jan. 2025

Netgear doesn’t sell the gateway router by itself but will happily sell you an add-on satellite for $549.99. —Wes Davis, The Verge, 7 Jan. 2025

Netgear – Shares jumped 4.8% after the Wall Street Journal reported that the U.S. is considering a ban on routers made in China. —Alex Harring, CNBC, 18 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

rout entry 4 + -er entry 2

Noun (2)

route entry 2 + -er entry 2

Noun (3)

route entry 1 (in sense "race of a mile or more") + -er entry 2

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1818, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1903, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

circa 1951, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

router

1 of 2 noun

rout·​er ˈrau̇t-ər 

: a machine for cutting out the surface of wood or metal

router

2 of 2 noun

rout·​er ˈrüt-ər 

ˈrau̇t-

: one that routes

especially : a device that sends data from one place to another within a computer network or between computer networks