electronic superhighway
- noun
- /ɪˌlɛktrɒnɪk ˈsuːpərˌhaɪweɪ/
- Archaic
:
autopista electrónica
- The rise of the electronic superhighway has transformed the way we communicate and access information.
Examples
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Students from across the world connected on the electronic superhighway to collaborate on their group project.
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Many businesses rely on the electronic superhighway for their operations.
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Concerns about privacy persist even as we depend more on the electronic superhighway for daily tasks.
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The electronic superhighway connects millions of users worldwide.
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Students from across the world connected on the electronic superhighway to collaborate on their group project.
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Concerns about privacy persist even as we depend more on the electronic superhighway for daily tasks.
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The rise of the electronic superhighway has transformed the way we communicate and access information.
Synonyms
999
1.0
A system of connected computers and devices people use to find information and communicate
45
4.2
A virtual place where people communicate and share information online
9
4.2
A fast network that carries information like video and sound, often the internet
6
4.2
A large electronic network like the internet that moves information quickly
1
9.5
A joking, informal word for the internet
An informal joking name for the internet
How Widespread
- Texting
597
1.6
- Archaic
- Specialized
1
3.9
- Specialized
1
3.5
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase combines 'electronic' (relating to electronic technology) with 'superhighway' (a very large, fast highway), so a learner can readily infer a fast, wide-reaching electronic network for moving information — i.e., the internet. This is a straightforward, transparent metaphor that maps directly from the constituents and is commonly used across languages, so a B1 learner who knows the parts can grasp the meaning.
Etymology
Electronic superhighway may come from the picture of a very fast road: a superhighway is a wide road that moves many cars quickly, and electronic adds the idea of wires and signals carrying data. That's why the phrase helps people think of the 'internet' as a fast, wide network for sending information.