router

1 of 3

noun (1)

rout·​er ˈrau̇-tər 

: one that routs: such as

a

: a routing plane

b

: a machine with a revolving vertical spindle and cutter for milling out the surface of wood or metal

router

2 of 3

noun (2)

rout·​er ˈrü-tər 

ˈrau̇-

: one that routes

especially : a device that mediates the transmission routes of data packets over an electronic communications network (such as the Internet)

router

3 of 3

noun (3)

rout·​er ˈrü-tər 

ˈrau̇-

: a horse trained for distance races

Examples of router in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

This router is also equipped with ad-blocking technology, making your browsing experience smoother and faster. —Jessica Kanzler, Miami Herald, 3 Mar. 2025

PCMag has tested hundreds of mesh network systems, routers, and range extenders, running them through a rigorous battery of tests for signal strength, speed, ease of setup, and more. —Jade Chung-Lee, PCMAG, 26 Feb. 2025

Medical devices, Wi-Fi routers, laptops, smartphones, cars, household appliances and LED lightbulbs are just a few of the many examples of where chips are found. —Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN, 24 Feb. 2025

And owners could benefit indirectly since the routers will communicate among themselves with all the stability, responsiveness, and throughput gains of Wi-Fi 7. —Wes Davis, The Verge, 7 Jan. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

rout entry 4 + -er entry 2

Noun (2)

route entry 2 + -er entry 2

Noun (3)

route entry 1 (in sense "race of a mile or more") + -er entry 2

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1818, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1903, in the meaning defined above

Noun (3)

circa 1951, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for router

• neuter
• pewter
• scooter
• shooter
• suitor
• tutor
• commuter
• computer
• polluter
• recruiter
• microcomputer
• minicomputer

Kids Definition

router

1 of 2 noun

rout·​er ˈrau̇t-ər 

: a machine for cutting out the surface of wood or metal

router

2 of 2 noun

rout·​er ˈrüt-ər 

ˈrau̇t-

: one that routes

especially : a device that sends data from one place to another within a computer network or between computer networks