interface

in·ter·face  (ntr-fs)

n.

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.

3. Computer Science

a. The point of interaction or communication between a computer and any other entity, such as a printer or human operator.

b. The layout of an application's graphic or textual controls in conjunction with the way the application responds to user activity: an interface whose icons were hard to remember.

v. (ntr-fs) in·ter·faced, in·ter·fac·ing, in·ter·fac·es

v.tr.

1. To join by means of an interface.

2. To serve as an interface for.

v.intr.

1. To serve as an interface or become interfaced.

2. To interact or coordinate smoothly: "Theatergoers were lured out of their seats and interfaced with the scenery" New York Times.

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inter·facial adj.

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 wellbetween 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. Thirty-seven percent of Panelists accept it when it designates the interaction between people in the sentence The managing editor must interface with a variety of freelance editors and proofreaders. But the percentage drops to 22 when the interaction is between a corporation and the public or between various communities in a city. Many Panelists complain that interface is pretentious and jargony. Certainly, it has no shortage of acceptable synonyms; cooperate, deal, exchange information, interact, and work present themselves as ready substitutes.

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interface

Noun

1. an area where two things interact or link: the interface between Islamic culture and Western modernity

2. an electrical circuit linking one device, esp. a computer, with another

3. Physics, chem a surface that forms the boundary between two liquids or chemical phases that cannot be mixed

Verb

[-facing, -faced]

to connect or be connected with by interface

interfacial adj

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interface  (ntr-fs)

1. The point of interaction or communication between a computer and any other entity, such as a printer or human operator.

2. The layout of an application's graphic or textual controls in conjunction with the way the application responds to user activity. See more at GUI.

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 user interface 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 graphical user interface, GUI - a user interface based on graphics (icons and pictures and menus) instead of text; uses a mouse as well as a keyboard as an input device
	3.	interface - the overlap where two theories or phenomena affect each other or have links with each other; "the interface between chemistry and biology" overlap, convergence, intersection - a representation of common ground between theories or phenomena; "there was no overlap between their proposals"
	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) port 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 computer science, computing - the branch of engineering science that studies (with the aid of computers) computable processes and structures

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interface

noun 1. connection, link, boundary, border, frontier

verb 2. connect, couple, link, combine, join together

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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.

Translations

interface [ˈɪntəfeɪs] n (COMPUT) → junción f; interface m

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interface [ˈɪntəfeɪs] n (Comput) → interface f

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interface [ˈɪntəfeɪs] n → Verbindung f;

(Comput) → Schnittstelle f

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interface [ˈɪntəfeɪs] n (COMPUT) → interfaccia