buffer
noun · verb
Simple meaning
A portion of memory set aside to temporarily store data.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
buhferSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈbʌfɚ
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
computing
A portion of memory set aside to temporarily store data, often before it is sent to an external device or as it is received from an external device.
Anything used to isolate or minimize the effect of one thing on another.
telecommunicationscomputer science
A part of RAM used for temporary storage of data that is waiting to be sent to a device; used to compensate for differences in the rate of flow of data between components of a computer system
telecommunications
A routine or storage medium used to compensate for a difference in rate of flow of data, or time of occurrence of events, when transferring data from one device to another.
An isolating circuit, often an amplifier, used to minimize the influence of a driven circuit on the driving circuit.
figurative
A gap that isolates or separates two things.
verb
Add a buffer (a solution)
“Buffered saline solution for the eyes.”
To use a buffer or buffers; to isolate or minimize the effects of one thing on another.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- A2 · Elementary (estimated)
- Frequency
- Common
- Typical Use
- General English
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: A portion of memory set aside to temporarily store data, often before it is sent to an external device or as it is received from an external device.
Used this way, buffer is a specialist word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. This is a computing use: it carries a fixed technical meaning inside software and systems work.
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Specialist/technical
- Intensity
- Not strongly marked
- How common
- Specialized
- Connotation
- Clinical and technical
- Usage feel
- Technical and specialized
Where it naturally appears
- Technology
- Technical/specialist writing
- Business/professional
Usage note
In general conversation this sense usually needs explaining — outside its field, people reach for a plainer word.
Nearby words
- buffer storage , rarer, so it draws attention
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
Share your sentence
Common Patterns and Combinations
How this word naturally appears with others.
Word Family
Related forms, grouped by how they connect.
Inflected forms
Grammatical variations of the same word.
An ardent follower and admirer.
Compound terms
Established multiword terms.
A small neutral state between two rival powers.
A solution containing a buffer.
A small neutral state between two rival powers.
A part of RAM used for temporary storage of data that is waiting to be sent to a device.
A part of RAM used for temporary storage of data that is waiting to be sent to a device.
A neutral zone between two rival powers that is created in order to diminish the danger of conflict.
More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin
Synonyms
Sense: portion of memory set aside to temporarily store data
Use This Word
See how this word sounds in a real sentence.
Ask Vocabaura
Understand the word your way.
What Does It Mean Here?
Words can change meaning depending on context.
Use it yourself
Knowing “buffer” starts when you use it. Pick a next step, all free.
Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.