NFC

4 synonyms for NFC, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.

Noun — A short-range wireless technology that lets two devices exchange a small amount of data when they are touching or held within a few centimetres of each other, used for things like tap-to-pay cards, travel passes and electronic door keys.

Synonyms

Rare, literary or technical

Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.

near-field communication contactless tap-to-pay technology NFC-enabled

Synonyms by Meaning

1. noun

A short-range wireless technology that lets two devices exchange a small amount of data when they are touching or held within a few centimetres of each other, used for things like tap-to-pay cards, travel passes and electronic door keys.

“Tap your phone against the reader — it uses NFC, so you have to be almost touching it.”

near-field communication contactless tap-to-pay technology

2. adjective

Describing a device, card or tag that supports this technology.

“Most modern bank cards are NFC enabled.”

contactless NFC-enabled

How to use NFC

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

NFC tag NFC enabled NFC payment NFC reader tap NFC

Technical in origin but now widely met by ordinary users through contactless payment. Almost always written as the initialism.

Etymology

An initialism of near-field communication, describing the very short range over which the signal operates.

Full origin of NFC →

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between NFC and Bluetooth?

NFC works only over a few centimetres and is designed for a quick exchange of a small amount of data, such as a payment or an ID. Bluetooth works over several metres and keeps a longer-lived connection for things like headphones or a keyboard. The very short range of NFC is deliberate, because it means a device must be deliberately presented to a reader.

Is NFC the same as RFID?

NFC is built on the same underlying idea as RFID, in which a reader powers and reads a nearby tag by radio. NFC is a narrower set of standards that works at very short range and allows both devices to act as reader or tag, which is what makes phone payments possible.

Does NFC need a battery in the tag?

Not usually. A passive NFC tag or card has no battery of its own; it draws the tiny amount of power it needs from the radio field produced by the reader.

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Nearby words

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