Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun A hardware device that renders inoperable certain software on a computer if the device is not attached to the computer.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun computer hardware Any small device which plugs into an electronic device, typically a computer, and alters its functionality. Common examples include wireless modems, software copy protect devices, and adapters. Some USB keyboards and mice include USB to PS/2 adapter dongles, enabling their use on machines with PS/2 ports.
- noun computer hardware A hardware device utilized by a specific application for purposes of
copy protection .
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun (computer science) an electronic device that must be attached to a computer in order for it to use protected software
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
[Probably arbitrary coinage.]
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
Apparently from dangle.
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Examples
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plutoman commented on the word dongle
A couple of weeks ago in a meeting I had to explain the meaning of this word to the whole marketing department. I think I got as far as "it's a device..."
July 26, 2009
russwood commented on the word dongle
The first use of the word dongle that I can find is in the influential BBC radio show The Goons dating back to January 24th 1956
In the episode The Jet Propelled NAAFI (series 6 Episode 19) the character Seagoon says
"Great larrups of dongle. He thinks he's a little tea-stained, crumpet-ridden idiot."
Also in December 1957. The episode Vanishing Room contains the line
"Flip my dongle and lower my grobblers"
The word was also used in one of the early Monty Python episodes.
May 1, 2011
alexz commented on the word dongle
New Scientist 1 Oct 1981
http://books.google.ca/books?id=EIZI3TDTGTsC&pg=PA24&dq=dongle&hl=en&sa=X&ei=Qv32UZueN-KWiAKRiIGIDg&ved=0CFgQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=dongle&f=false
July 30, 2013