cable

1 of 2

noun

ca·​ble ˈkā-bəl 

often attributive

1

a

: a strong rope especially of 10 inches (25 centimeters) or more in circumference

b

: a cable-laid rope

c

: a wire rope or metal chain of great tensile strength

d

: a wire or wire rope by which force is exerted to control or operate a mechanism

2

: cable length

3

a

: an assembly of electrical conductors insulated from each other but laid up together (as by being twisted around a central core)

b

: cablegram

also : a radio message or telegram

4

: something resembling or fashioned like a cable

a fiber-optic cable

5

a

: cable television

a house with cable

b

: a cable infrastructure used to provide services other than television

—often used before another noun

cable Internet

cable telephony

cable

2 of 2

verb

cabled; cabling ˈkā-b(ə-)liŋ 

transitive verb

1

: to fasten with or as if with a cable

2

: to provide with a cable or cables

3

: to telegraph by submarine cable

4

: to make into a cable or into a form resembling a cable

intransitive verb

: to communicate by a submarine cable

cabler

ˈkā-b(ə-)lər

noun

Synonyms

Noun

• cord
• lace
• lacing
• line
• rope
• string
• wire

Examples of cable in a Sentence

Noun

The bridge is held up by cables.

Their company supplied cable for the project.

We need more cable to hook up the computers.

Verb

She cabled the news to the United States.

She cabled her parents for money.

The soldiers cabled back to headquarters.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Every police officer in Illinois is now required to wear a body camera, an overhaul of Cook County criminal court is coming, plus Chicago residents can expect tax hikes on streaming services and cable TV, personal property leases and grocery bags. —Grace Miserocchi, Chicago Tribune, 4 Jan. 2025

Watching RuPaul’s Drag Race without cable shouldn’t be as hard as lip-syncing for your life. —Claire Franken, TVLine, 3 Jan. 2025

Verb

As with the Blocks application, the Bridge software need to be active and the Go cabled to a DisplayPort USB-C to run in desktop mode. —New Atlas, 12 Dec. 2024

It’s crafted from 100-percent merino wool, an excellent fabric to have at your fingertips to ward off the cold, and cabled detailing along the sleeves will set this sweater apart from the rest of your wardrobe favorites. —Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 28 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Medieval Latin capulum lasso, from Latin capere to take — more at heave entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

circa 1500, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Phrases Containing cable

• cable box
• cable car
• cable-knit
• cable-laid
• cable length
• cable modem
• cable television
• coaxial cable
• pay-cable

Kids Definition

cable

1 of 2 noun

ca·​ble ˈkā-bəl 

1

: a very strong thick rope, wire, or chain

2

: a wire or wire rope by which force is applied to operate a piece of machinery

brake cable

3

: a bundle of electrical wires held together usually around a central core

4

: cablegram

5

: cable television

cable

2 of 2 verb

cabled; cabling ˈkā-b(ə-)liŋ 

1

: to fasten or provide with a cable

2

: to telegraph by cable

Biographical Definition

Cable

biographical name

Ca·​ble ˈkā-bəl 

George Washington 1844–1925 American novelist