browser
6 synonyms and 3 antonyms for browser, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — A computer program used to find, load and display pages on the web, such as Chrome, Safari, Firefox or Edge.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
Synonyms by Meaning
1. noun
A computer program used to find, load and display pages on the web, such as Chrome, Safari, Firefox or Edge.
“Open a new tab in your browser and paste the link.”
2. noun
A person who looks casually through goods in a shop or items on a shelf without necessarily intending to buy.
“The gallery is happy for browsers to wander in off the street.”
Opposites
3. noun technical
An animal that feeds on the leaves, shoots and twigs of trees and shrubs rather than on grass.
“Giraffes are browsers, while zebras are grazers.”
Opposites
How to Use Browser
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
The computing sense is neutral and universal; the shopping and animal senses are far less common in everyday speech.
Etymology
From the verb browse, which came into English from Old French brost 'bud, young shoot', originally describing animals feeding on shoots and leaves.
Full origin of browser →Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a browser and a search engine?
A browser is the program installed on your device that opens and displays web pages. A search engine, such as Google or Bing, is a website you visit inside that browser to look things up. You can change your search engine without changing your browser, and vice versa.
Is Google a browser?
Google Chrome is a browser; Google Search is a search engine. People often say 'Google' for both, but strictly the browser is Chrome and google.com is a site you open in it.
What does clearing your browser do?
Clearing your browser removes stored data such as cached files, cookies and history. It can fix pages that load incorrectly and free up space, but it also signs you out of sites and loses saved preferences.