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1. A surface forming a common boundary between adjacent regions, bodies, substances, or phases.
2. A point at which independent systems or diverse groups interact: "the interface between crime and politics where much of our reality is to be found" (Jack Kroll).
a. A system of interaction or communication between a computer and another entity such as a printer, another computer, a network, or a human user.
b. A device, such as a cable, network card, monitor, or keyboard, that enables interaction or communication between a computer and another entity.
c. The layout or design of the interactive elements of a computer program, an online service, or an electronic device.
v. (ĭn′tər-fās′) in·ter·faced, in·ter·fac·ing, in·ter·fac·es
1. To join by means of an interface.
2. To serve as an interface for.
1. To serve as an interface or become interfaced.
2. Usage Problem To interact or coordinate smoothly: "Theatergoers were lured out of their seats and interfaced with the scenery" (New York Times).
Usage Note: The noun interface has been around since the 1880s, meaning "a surface forming a common boundary, as between bodies or regions." But the word did not really take off until the 1960s, when it began to be used in the computer industry to designate the point of interaction between a computer and another system, such as a printer. The word was applied to other interactions as well—between departments in an organization, for example, or between fields of study. Shortly thereafter interface developed a use as a verb, but it never really caught on outside its niche in the computer world, where it still thrives. The Usage Panel has been unable to muster much enthusiasm for the verb. In our 2009 survey, 40 percent accepted it in an example designating interaction between people: The managing editor must interface with a variety of freelance editors and proofreaders. Nearly the same percentage (37) accepted this sentence in our 1995 survey, suggesting that the usage has not worn particularly well over the years, and that resistance to it will continue. In 2009, a similar percentage (35) accepted interface in examples indicating interaction between a corporation and the public or between various communities in a city.
1. (Chemistry) chem a surface that forms the boundary between two bodies, liquids, or chemical phases
2. a common point or boundary between two things, subjects, etc
3. (Computer Science) an electrical circuit linking one device, esp a computer, with another
4. (Computer Science) (tr) to design or adapt the input and output configurations of (two electronic devices) so that they may work together compatibly
5. (Computer Science) to be or become an interface (with)
6. to be or become interactive (with)
in•ter•face(n. ˈɪn tərˌfeɪs; v. also ˌɪn tərˈfeɪs)
n., v. -faced, -fac•ing. n.
1. a surface regarded as the common boundary of two bodies, spaces, or phases.
2. the area shared by or linking two or more disciplines or fields of study.
3. a common boundary or interconnection between systems, equipment, concepts, or people.
4. something that enables separate and sometimes incompatible elements to coordinate or communicate.
5. communication or interaction.
6. computer hardware or software designed to communicate information between hardware devices, between software programs, between devices and programs, or between a computer and a user.v.t.
7. to bring into an interface.
8. to bring together; connect or mesh.v.i.
9. to be in an interface.
10. to function as an interface.
11. to meet or communicate directly; interact; coordinate.
A boundary or point common to two or more similar or dissimilar command and control systems, sub-systems, or other entities against which or at which necessary information flow takes place.
Past participle: interfaced
Circuits converting computer signals into a form that other electronic equipment can read.
Switch to new thesaurus
|Noun||1.||interface - (chemistry) a surface forming a common boundary between two things (two objects or liquids or chemical phases)|
physical chemistry - the branch of chemistry dealing with the physical properties of chemical substances
surface - the extended two-dimensional outer boundary of a three-dimensional object; "they skimmed over the surface of the water"; "a brush small enough to clean every dental surface"; "the sun has no distinct surface"
oil-water interface - an interface forming the boundary between the non-miscible liquids oil and water
|2.||interface - (computer science) a program that controls a display for the user (usually on a computer monitor) and that allows the user to interact with the system|
computer science, computing - the branch of engineering science that studies (with the aid of computers) computable processes and structures
computer program, computer programme, programme, program - (computer science) a sequence of instructions that a computer can interpret and execute; "the program required several hundred lines of code"
CLI, command line interface - a user interface in which you type commands instead of choosing them from a menu or selecting an icon
|3.||interface - the overlap where two theories or phenomena affect each other or have links with each other; "the interface between chemistry and biology"|
|4.||interface - (computer science) computer circuit consisting of the hardware and associated circuitry that links one device with another (especially a computer and a hard disk drive or other peripherals)|
computer circuit - a circuit that is part of a computer
parallel interface, parallel port - an interface between a computer and a printer where the computer sends multiple bits of information to the printer simultaneously
serial port - an interface (commonly used for modems and mice and some printers) that transmits data a bit at a time
SCSI, small computer system interface - interface consisting of a standard port between a computer and its peripherals that is used in some computers
(COMPUTING) → interface f user interface
→ Grenzfläche f, → Grenzschicht f; there’s a bigger interface between these two fields than I thought → diese beiden Gebiete haben mehr Berührungspunkte, als ich gedacht hätte
vt → koppeln