DNS
3 synonyms for DNS, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Noun — The system that translates the web addresses people type, such as example.com, into the numeric addresses computers use to find each other on the internet.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
domain name system
name resolution
name system
How to use DNS
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
DNS record
DNS lookup
DNS server
update DNS
DNS propagation
Used uncountably, and attributively in "DNS record", "DNS server", "DNS lookup". Take "a" before it in speech.
Etymology
An initialism of domain name system.
Full origin of DNS →Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a domain name and DNS?
A domain name is the address itself, such as example.com. DNS is the system that looks that name up and returns the numeric address of the server it points to. You buy a domain from a registrar; DNS then decides where the domain leads.
Why do DNS changes take time to appear?
Answers to DNS lookups are cached along the way — by internet providers, networks and devices — so older answers keep being served until the cache expires. That expiry period is set by the record's TTL, or time to live.
What is an A record?
An A record is a type of DNS record that maps a name directly to an IPv4 address. Other common types include CNAME, which points one name at another name, and MX, which says where email for the domain should be delivered.
