Interface
|in-ter-face|
🇺🇸
/ˈɪn.tɚ.feɪs/
🇬🇧
/ˈɪn.tə.feɪs/
(interface)
point of interaction
Etymology
'interface' originates from Latin-derived elements: the prefix 'inter-' meaning 'between' and the word 'face' (from Old French 'face' and Latin 'facies').
'interface' was formed in modern English by combining 'inter-' + 'face'; 'face' itself came into English via Old French 'face' from Latin 'facies', and the combined form began to be used in English contexts in the 19th and early 20th centuries, later extending into technical and computing usage.
Initially it referred mainly to a physical 'surface' or 'boundary' between materials or domains; over time it broadened to mean any point of interaction or connection (including human–computer interfaces and software APIs).
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
a surface or boundary where two different materials, phases, or systems meet and interact (physical/chemical contexts).
Interface between the two materials showed unexpected corrosion.
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Noun 2
a point or area of interaction or communication between two systems, organizations, or groups.
Interface between the marketing and development teams must improve.
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Noun 3
in computing, the means (tools, screens, commands) by which a user interacts with a computer or software (user interface).
The new Interface is much more intuitive for end users.
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Noun 4
in software engineering, an abstract definition of operations and behaviors that a module or class exposes to other components (API/interface in programming).
The library provides a simple Interface for data access.
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Verb 1
to connect or interact with another system or device so that information can be exchanged.
The device can Interface with multiple sensors.
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Last updated: 2025/12/02 15:10