motherboard

US/ˈmʌðɚˌbɔɹd/

nounB2+Rare in speech; mostly a word you read · #13,092 of 15,258leans written

Other forms: motherboards

A motherboard is the main board inside a computer that everything else plugs into. Replace the motherboard, motherboard slots, a dead motherboard.

It carries the processor, the memory and the connections between everything, so a failed one usually means replacing the machine rather than a part. Smaller boards that plug into it were called daughterboards, which is where the name comes from. Note that the motherboard's form factor decides what case and power supply will fit, which is why upgrades cascade.

Definitions of motherboard

1nounmotherboardThe main board inside a computer that everything plugs into.B2+
“The technician said the motherboard was damaged and the laptop wasn't worth repairing.”

motherboard is a computer component.

Where it comes from

Mother plus board, attested from 1965. Boards plugging into it were called daughterboards, and the family metaphor was deliberate.

mother + board. Attested since 1965.

Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA

Practised in Technology & Internet, Computing & Code

Practise this word

motherboard in the wild

Some high-end 386DX motherboards also had a VL-Bus slot.
VESA Local Bus
The chipset is usually found on the motherboard of computers.
Chipset
ATX (Advanced Technology Extended) is a motherboard and power supply form factor and configuration specification developed by Intel.
ATX
ATX is a commonly used motherboard and power supply hardware form factor for desktop computers.
ATX
In computer design, microATX is a standard motherboard form factor introduced in December 1997.
MicroATX

1 / 2

From Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0. These sentences were written by other people about their own subjects; they are here to show the word at work, not as anybody’s opinion.

← Vocabulary