dsl

IPA/ˌdiː.esˈel/
IPA/ˌdiː.esˈel/

dsl — noun

1. a technology that sends digital information at high speed through ordinary coppe

1.nounB2
Definition

a technology that sends digital information at high speed through ordinary copper telephone wires, allowing homes and businesses to connect to the internet without interrupting phone calls

Example

The technician installed DSL in our apartment last Tuesday.

collocation: install DSL

Many rural schools still do not have access to DSL broadband connections.

collocation: DSL broadband / have access to DSL

Common collocations
  • install DSL
  • DSL broadband
  • DSL connection
  • DSL service
  • DSL modem
  • DSL line
  • switch to DSL
  • DSL provider
  • DSL stands for
  • DSL available
  • DSL speed
  • DSL router
  • DSL port
Synonyms
  • broadband

    a broader term covering all high-speed internet, not just DSL; DSL is one type of broadband

  • ADSL

    a specific faster variant of DSL; often used interchangeably in casual speech

Antonyms
  • dial-up

    the older, much slower internet technology that DSL replaced

Usage Note

Often used as an uncountable noun ('We have DSL at home'). Usually written in uppercase letters (DSL), though lowercase (dsl) also appears in technical documents. Becoming less common in areas where fiber-optic or cable broadband are available.

Common Mistakes

My DSL is very slow today' (without context).
My DSL connection is very slow today.
'DSL' alone can sound vague; adding 'connection' or 'service' makes the meaning clearer.

Word family

  • ADSL
    nounC1
  • VDSL
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four terms refer to ways of connecting to the internet, but they work differently. 'Broadband' is the widest term — it covers any high-speed internet connection, including DSL, cable, fiber, and satellite. 'DSL' and 'ADSL' are specific technologies that send data over copper telephone wires; ADSL is a faster version that lets you use the phone and internet at the same time. 'Fiber' (or fiber-optic) uses glass cables and light signals to deliver much higher speeds than DSL. 'Cable' broadband runs through the same coaxial cables that bring TV into a home. For everyday use: if you hear 'broadband,' it could mean any of these. If someone says 'DSL,' they are talking specifically about internet over phone lines.

broadband ↗ADSL ↗fiber ↗cable ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • DSL connection
  • DSL service
  • DSL provider
  • DSL modem
  • DSL line
  • DSL router
  • DSL port
  • DSL broadband
  • DSL signal
  • DSL speed

Phrases

  • stand for DSL
  • switch to DSL
  • install DSL
  • DSL available in
  • fiber over DSL
  • access to DSL

Etymology

English

DSL is an initialism for 'digital subscriber line,' formed in the 1980s as telephone companies developed a way to send digital data over existing copper phone wires at much higher speeds than traditional dial-up modems. 'Digital' refers to the binary data format computers use; 'subscriber' means a customer who pays for phone service; and 'line' is the physical wire connecting the home to the telephone exchange.