ethernet

IPA/ˈiːθənet/
KK[ˈiθɚnˌɛt]IPA/ˈiːθərnet/

ethernet — noun

1. a standard wired technology that allows computers, printers, and other devices t

1.nounB1
Definition

a standard wired technology that allows computers, printers, and other devices to share information and communicate with each other within a local network

Example

The library installed new Ethernet ports at every desk for students who need fast connections.

Ethernet port — noun + noun compound (Ethernet as modifier)

Ravi plugged the Ethernet cable into his laptop when the Wi-Fi signal became too weak.

Common collocations
  • Ethernet cable
  • Ethernet port
  • Ethernet connection
  • Ethernet adapter
  • Ethernet network
  • Ethernet switch
  • connect via Ethernet
  • use Ethernet
  • support Ethernet
Synonyms
  • LAN (local area network)

    Ethernet is the most common type of LAN; LAN is the broader category that includes both wired and wireless standards.

  • wired network

    a general term for any network that uses physical cables; Ethernet is one specific type of wired network.

Antonyms
  • Wi-Fi

    the most common wireless alternative to Ethernet for local networking.

  • wireless

    a general term for network connections that do not use physical cables.

Grammar Patterns

Ethernet + noun (as modifier)

via / through / over Ethernet

Usage Note

Ethernet is usually capitalized as a protocol name, though it sometimes appears in lowercase. It is an uncountable noun — use 'an Ethernet cable' or 'an Ethernet port', not 'an Ethernet'.

Common Mistakes

I bought an ethernet for my computer.
I bought an Ethernet cable for my computer.
Ethernet is the name of the technology, not the physical item you purchase.
My computer has two ethernets.
My computer has two Ethernet ports.
As an uncountable noun, Ethernet has no plural form.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Ethernet is a specific wired technology standard for local area networks. LAN (local area network) is a broader category that can include both wired and wireless connections — Ethernet is the most common type of LAN. Wi-Fi is the wireless counterpart: both connect devices locally, but Ethernet uses cables for greater speed and stability, while Wi-Fi offers convenience at the cost of potential interference. An intranet is a private network (often using Ethernet or Wi-Fi) inside an organization, accessible only to its members. In everyday use, people say 'connect via Ethernet' for a cable hookup, 'use Wi-Fi' for wireless, and 'set up a LAN' when describing the network itself.

Ethernet ↗LAN ↗Wi-Fi ↗intranet ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • Ethernet cable
  • Ethernet port
  • Ethernet connection
  • Ethernet adapter
  • Ethernet switch
  • Ethernet network

Phrases

  • connect via Ethernet
  • use Ethernet
  • support Ethernet
  • run Ethernet cables
  • switch to Ethernet

Prepositions

  • via Ethernet
  • over Ethernet
  • through Ethernet

Etymology

GreekLatinEnglish

The name 'Ethernet' was coined in the 1970s at Xerox PARC by engineer Robert Metcalfe and his team. It combines 'ether' (from the ancient concept of a medium that carries light and signals through space) with 'network', reflecting the idea of a system that carries data through cables like the ether was thought to carry light waves.