digital subscriber line
1
3.6
- noun
- Specialized
:
línea de abonado digital
- Just as the introduction of fiber optics and digital subscriber lines (DSL) dramatically opened up the information pipeline, technology has significantly changed the amount of fluid that a prefabricated system can move.
- digital subscriber line (DSL)
- digital subscriber line service
- high-speed digital subscriber line
Examples
-
Many households now rely on digital subscriber lines for fast internet access provided by their telephone companies.
-
With a digital subscriber line, users can enjoy high-speed internet without the need for cable services.
-
The availability of digital subscriber lines has greatly improved internet connectivity in rural areas.
Synonyms
14
3.6
A way to get fast internet using a regular phone line
How Fast
- Specialized
7
3.9
1
2.9
- Specialized
1
3.6
- Archaic
1
7.0
- Archaic
4
3.8
Surface Forms
Morphology
digital + subscriber + line
The meaning is directly compositional: 'digital' (electronic/numeric), 'subscriber' (a person who pays for service) and 'line' (a communication channel) combine to denote a communication line that carries digital signals for subscribers (DSL). Although it is a technical term, its sense is derivable from the constituent words and parallels similar constructions in other languages, so a learner who knows the parts can infer the meaning.
Etymology
The term digital subscriber line comes from using the ordinary telephone line to send digital computer data to each subscriber ('customer'). So, the name explains why it means a 'fast internet' service that works over regular phone wires.