c1Vocabulary Pack

Technology & Internet

Devices, apps, the internet and everyday tech talk.

70 words

English vocabulary

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70 words

Definitions in: English

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1
hardwarenounneutraltechnical
The physical components of a computer system, as opposed to software.
No amount of clever coding can fix a problem that's rooted in the hardware.
2
servernounneutraltechnical
A computer or system that provides data and services to other computers on a network.
The whole site went down because the server couldn't handle the traffic.
3
routernounneutraltechnical
A device that directs internet traffic and provides wireless connectivity in a home or office.
If the Wi-Fi keeps dropping, try unplugging the router for thirty seconds.
4
hard drivenounneutraltechnical
The component that stores data permanently on a computer.
My laptop slowed to a crawl once the hard drive was nearly full.
5
processornounneutraltechnical
The chip that carries out a computer's instructions; the 'brain' of the device.
The latest model has a far faster processor, so editing video is effortless.
6
touchscreennounneutral
A display that responds to being touched directly with fingers.
The touchscreen stops responding the moment your fingers are even slightly wet.
7
interfacenounneutraltechnical
The point of interaction between a user and a device or program; how it looks and is controlled.
The app is powerful, but the interface is so cluttered that nobody can find anything.
8
bandwidthnounneutraltechnical
The maximum rate of data transfer over a connection; also used figuratively for capacity to handle work.
Streaming in 4K eats up an enormous amount of bandwidth.
9
broadbandnounneutral
High-speed internet access, typically always-on.
Rural areas still struggle to get reliable broadband.
10
URLnounneutraltechnical
The web address that identifies a specific page on the internet.
Just copy the URL and paste it into the chat.
11
domainnounneutraltechnical
The registered name that forms the core of a website's address.
She bought the domain years ago, hoping the name would be worth something one day.
12
streamverbneutral
To play audio or video over the internet in real time without downloading it first.
We stream most of our music now rather than buying albums.
13
cachenountechnical
Temporarily stored data that helps a device or browser load content faster.
If the page looks broken, try clearing your browser's cache.
14
bookmarkverbneutral
To save a web page so you can return to it easily.
I bookmarked the recipe so I wouldn't lose it.
15
phishingnounneutraltechnical
A scam in which fraudsters impersonate trusted sources to steal personal information.
That email is a classic phishing attempt — don't click anything.
16
malwarenounneutraltechnical
Malicious software designed to damage or gain unauthorised access to a system.
His laptop was riddled with malware after he downloaded that dodgy file.
17
firewallnounneutraltechnical
A security system that monitors and controls network traffic to block threats.
The company firewall blocks access to most social media sites.
18
encryptverbneutraltechnical
To convert data into a coded form so only authorised parties can read it.
All the messages are encrypted, so not even the company can read them.
19
cybersecuritynounneutraltechnical
The practice of protecting systems and data from digital attacks.
After the breach, the firm poured millions into cybersecurity.
20
two-factor authenticationnountechnical
A security method requiring two separate forms of verification to log in.
I'd strongly recommend turning on two-factor authentication for your bank account.
21
hotspotnounneutral
A location offering wireless internet, or a phone sharing its connection with other devices.
There's no Wi-Fi here, so I just turned my phone into a hotspot.
22
VPNnounneutraltechnical
A service that encrypts your connection and masks your location online.
I always connect through a VPN when I'm using public Wi-Fi.
23
IP addressnountechnical
The unique numerical label identifying a device on a network.
They traced the attack back to a single IP address.
24
rebootverbneutraltechnical
To restart a computer or device, often to fix a problem.
Have you tried rebooting it? That fixes nine problems out of ten.
25
pasteverbneutral
To insert previously copied text or data into a new location.
Just copy the code and paste it into the box below.
26
swipeverbneutral
To move a finger across a touchscreen to scroll, navigate, or make a choice.
Swipe left to delete the message.
27
tapverbneutral
To touch a screen briefly to select or activate something.
Just tap the icon twice to open it.
28
toggleverbtechnical
To switch a setting on or off, or between two states.
You can toggle dark mode on and off in the settings.
29
refreshverbneutral
To reload a page or app to display the latest content.
Try refreshing the page — the new prices should show up.
30
glitchnouninformal
A minor, often temporary fault or malfunction in a system.
There was a glitch in the app that logged everyone out at once.
31
lagnouninformal
A delay between an action and the system's response, especially online.
The lag was so bad that the call was basically unwatchable.
32
troubleshootverbneutraltechnical
To systematically identify and solve technical problems.
It took us hours to troubleshoot why the printer wouldn't connect.
33
algorithmnounneutraltechnical
A set of rules a program follows; often refers to what decides what content you see.
The algorithm seems to think I only want to watch cat videos.
34
codeverbneutral
To write instructions in a programming language.
She taught herself to code entirely from free online tutorials.
35
bugnounneutraltechnical
An error or flaw in software that causes it to behave incorrectly.
The update introduced a nasty bug that crashes the app on startup.
36
debugverbtechnical
To find and remove errors from software.
I spent the whole afternoon debugging a single line of code.
37
databasenounneutraltechnical
A structured collection of data stored and accessed electronically.
All the customer records are kept in a single database.
38
platformnounneutraltechnical
A digital service or environment on which software runs or users interact.
The video was taken down from every major platform within hours.
39
operating systemnountechnical
The core software that manages a computer's hardware and runs other programs.
The app only works on the latest operating system.
40
plug-innountechnical
An add-on that extends the functionality of a program or browser.
There's a handy plug-in that blocks ads automatically.
41
patchnountechnical
A small software update that fixes bugs or security flaws.
They rushed out a security patch as soon as the flaw was discovered.
42
open sourceadjectivetechnical
Of software whose source code is freely available for anyone to use or modify.
We switched to an open source tool to avoid the licensing fees.
43
artificial intelligencenounneutraltechnical
Computer systems able to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence.
Artificial intelligence is being used to flag suspicious transactions in real time.
44
user-friendlyadjectiveneutral
Easy to use and understand, especially for non-experts.
The new design is far more user-friendly than the old one.
45
tech-savvyadjectiveinformal
Knowledgeable about and comfortable with technology.
My grandmother is surprisingly tech-savvy for her age.
46
go viralexpressioninformal
Of online content, to spread rapidly and be shared by huge numbers of people.
Her video went viral overnight and racked up millions of views.
47
user interfacenountechnical
The visual layout and controls through which a person interacts with a device or app.
A clean user interface makes all the difference to how an app feels.
48
digital footprintnounneutral
The trail of data a person leaves behind through their online activity.
Employers increasingly check your digital footprint before hiring you.
49
compatibleadjectiveneutraltechnical
Able to work together with another device, system, or format.
The charger isn't compatible with the newer models.
50
defaultnountechnical
The pre-set option that applies automatically unless you change it.
By default, the app shares your location with everyone.
51
log outphrasal verbneutral
To end a session by signing out of an account.
Always log out when you're using a shared computer.
52
offlineadjectiveneutral
Not connected to the internet; also used to mean 'in person' rather than online.
You can download the maps so they work offline.
53
digitizeverbformaltechnical
To convert information into a digital format.
The library is slowly digitizing its entire archive of old newspapers.
54
cutting-edgeadjectiveneutral
At the most advanced stage of development; highly innovative.
The lab is doing genuinely cutting-edge work in machine learning.
55
chatbotnounneutral
A program that simulates conversation with users, often for customer service.
I just wanted to speak to a human, not a useless chatbot.
56
avatarnounneutral
A graphic image or character representing a user online.
She uses a cartoon avatar instead of a real photo.
57
hashtagnouninformal
A word or phrase preceded by # used to label and group online content.
The campaign took off once it had a catchy hashtag.
58
feednouninformal
The continuously updated stream of content shown to a user on an app or site.
My feed is nothing but adverts these days.
59
trendingadjectiveinformal
Currently very popular and widely discussed online.
That topic has been trending all morning.
60
boot upphrasal verbneutraltechnical
To start up a computer until it is ready to use.
This old machine takes a full five minutes to boot up.
61
lognountechnical
A record automatically kept of events or activity on a system.
The server log showed dozens of failed login attempts.
62
data breachnounneutraltechnical
An incident in which protected or confidential data is accessed without authorisation.
Millions of accounts were exposed in the latest data breach.
63
gadgetnounneutral
A small, often novel electronic device or tool.
He's the kind of person who has to own every new gadget the moment it comes out.
64
bufferverbneutraltechnical
Of streaming media, to pause while loading data into temporary storage.
The video kept buffering right at the most exciting part.
65
cookienounneutraltechnical
A small file a website stores on your device to remember information about you.
Every site now nags you to accept cookies the second you arrive.
66
spamnounneutraltechnical
Unsolicited, usually irrelevant or commercial messages sent in bulk.
Half the emails I get are spam trying to sell me something.
67
syncverbneutraltechnical
To make data consistent across multiple devices automatically.
My calendar automatically syncs between my phone and laptop.
68
obsoleteadjectiveneutral
No longer used or useful because something newer has replaced it.
That phone was cutting-edge five years ago and is now completely obsolete.
69
e-commercenounneutraltechnical
The buying and selling of goods and services over the internet.
The pandemic accelerated the shift towards e-commerce dramatically.
70
digitiseverbneutralBritish English
British English spelling of the verb meaning to convert something into digital form.
The library spent years working to digitise its entire archive of rare manuscripts.
The library spent years converting its entire archive of rare manuscripts into digital form.

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From the apps on your phone to the sites you open every day, technology shapes how we talk. This pack teaches the vocabulary of devices, the internet, and the everyday actions of digital life, like searching, sharing, downloading, and connecting. Designed for intermediate learners, it turns the screens you already know into a natural way to grow your English.