floppy disk

flop·py disk

F f

Transcription

- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- UK Pronunciation
- UK IPA
- [flop-ee disk]
- /ˈflɒp i dɪsk/
- /ˈflɒp.i dɪsk/

- US Pronunciation
- US IPA
- [flop-ee disk]
- /ˈflɒp i dɪsk/

Definitions of floppy disk words

noun floppy disk Computers. a thin plastic disk coated with magnetic material, on which computer data and programs can be stored for later retrieval. 1
noun floppy disk diskette for storing data 1
noun Technical meaning of floppy disk (hardware, storage) (Or "floppy", "diskette") A small, portable plastic disk coated in a magnetisable substance used for storing computer data, readable by a computer with a floppy disk drive. The physical size of disks has shrunk from the early 8 inch, to 5 1/4 inch ("minifloppy") to 3 1/2 inch ("microfloppy") while the data capacity has risen. These disks are known as "floppy" disks (or diskettes) because the disk is flexible and the read/write head is in physical contact with the surface of the disk in contrast to "hard disks" (or winchesters) which are rigid and rely on a small fixed gap between the disk surface and the heads. Floppies may be either single-sided or double-sided. 3.5 inch floppies are less floppy than the larger disks because they come in a stiff plastic "envelope" or case, hence the alternative names "stiffy" or "crunchy" sometimes used to distinguish them from the floppier kind. The following formats are used on IBM PCs and elsewhere: Capacity Density Width 360K double 5.25" 720K double 3.5" 1.2M high 5.25" 1.44M high 3.5" Double denisty and high density are usually abbreviated DD and HD. HD 3.5 inch disks have a second hole in the envelope and an overlapping "HD" logo. 1
countable noun floppy disk A floppy disk is a small magnetic disk that is used for storing computer data and programs. Floppy disks are used especially with personal computers. 0
noun floppy disk a flexible removable magnetic disk that stores information and can be used to store data for use in a microprocessor 0
noun floppy disk a small, flexible, relatively inexpensive computer disk for storing data, esp. in smaller computers 0

See all 6 definitions of floppy disk

Information block about the term

Origin of floppy disk

First appearance:

before 1970

One of the 2% newest English words

First recorded in 1970-75; called floppy from the fact that the earliest disks are ‘flexible’, though the later (3.5 inch) disks have a rigid plastic case

Historical Comparancy

Parts of speech for Floppy disk

noun

adjective

verb

adverb

pronoun

preposition

conjunction

determiner

exclamation

Full grammatical hierarchy of Floppy disk

floppy disk popularity

This term is known only to a narrow circle of people with rare knowledge. Only 27% of English native speakers know the meaning of this word.

According to our data about 64% of words is more used. This is a rare but used term. It occurs in the pages of specialized literature and in the speech of educated people.

floppy disk usage trend in Literature

This diagram is provided by Google Ngram Viewer

Synonyms for floppy disk

noun floppy disk

floppy — tending to flop.
disk — a phonograph record.
magnetic disk — Also called disk, hard disk. a rigid disk coated with magnetic material, on which data and programs can be stored.
diskette — floppy disk.

All 4 Synonyms of floppy disk