TechnologyAugust 21, 2026

dongle

DONG-gul

Definition

A small hardware device that connects to a computer or other electronic device to enable additional functions, such as wireless connectivity.

Etymology

The word is of unknown origin, appearing in the early 1980s as a term for a software copy-protection key that plugged into a computer port; it later broadened to describe any small peripheral device.

In the news

In this article, the dongle is a 2.4-GHz adapter used to provide a low-latency wireless connection for the gaming headsets, serving as an alternative to Bluetooth.

beyerdynamic MMX 100 wireless & MMX 130 wireless: New gaming headsets starting at 99 euros unveiled

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