server
noun
Simple meaning
A computer program or device that helps other programs or computers
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
surverSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈsɝvɚ
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 program that provides services to other programs or devices, either in the same computer or over a computer network.
computingcomputer science
A computer that provides client stations with access to files and printers as shared resources to a computer network
computing
A computer dedicated to running such programs.
social media
A community space where only those who joined it can communicate in channels.
One who serves.
A waitress or waiter.
Word at a Glance
- Difficulty
- A1 · Beginner (estimated)
- Frequency
- Very Common
- Typical Use
- Everyday English
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: A program that provides services to other programs or devices, either in the same computer or over a computer network.
Used this way, server 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.
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use server
- “The server quickly brought our drinks and took our food order.”noun
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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.
Serve a purpose, role, or function.
Compound terms
Established multiword terms.
A file server that can be used simultaneously as a workstation.
Someone who personally delivers a process (a writ compelling attendance in court) or court papers to the defendant.
Relating to a computer system in which a central server supports a number of networked workstations.
A computer program that produces maps of spatially referenced data dynamically from geographic information.
A file server that can be used only as a file server.
A digital computer that provides workstations on a network with controlled access to shared resources.
Related words
Connected by subject or meaning, not by word formation.
The back line bounding each end of a tennis or handball court.
More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin
Synonyms
Sense: program that provides services to other programs
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Words can change meaning depending on context.
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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.