noun

IP address

EYE-PEE uh-DRESS

IP address (noun) means a number assigned to a device so that other devices on a network can find it and send data to it, in the same way a postal address tells a courier where to deliver a parcel. Example: “The support agent asked me to read out the router's IP address before she could look at the fault.”

noun

technical A number assigned to a device so that other devices on a network can find it and send data to it, in the same way a postal address tells a courier where to deliver a parcel.

"The support agent asked me to read out the router's IP address before she could look at the fault."

"Every phone, laptop and printer on the office network has its own IP address."

Such a number treated as a rough indicator of where a person or device is connecting from, used by websites to guess a visitor's country or region.

"The video would not play because my IP address showed I was outside the country it was licensed in."

How to Use IP address

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA number that says where your device sits on a network, so other machines know where to send things.

When to use it

Everyday in technical support and networking; widely understood by non-specialists in the phrase "what's your IP address".

Memory tip

Written as four numbers separated by full stops in the older IPv4 form (for example 192.168.0.1), or as longer groups of letters and numbers separated by colons in the newer IPv6 form.

Trace the full origin ↓

Easily confused with

MAC address domain name URL → hostname

Common pairings

static IP address dynamic IP address public IP address private IP address assign an IP address block an IP address

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

The support agent asked me to read out the router's _____ before she could look at the fault.

Etymology

An initialism of internet protocol address, from the internet protocol, the set of rules that governs how data is addressed and routed between networked devices.

Origin: English

Synonyms

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internet address network address IP numeric address

Related Words

Rhymes for IP address

address headdress

See all rhymes for IP address →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between an IP address and a MAC address?

An IP address is given to a device by the network it joins, and it changes when the device joins a different network. A MAC address is fixed in the device's network hardware by the manufacturer and identifies that piece of hardware itself. Broadly, the IP address says where the device currently is; the MAC address says which device it is.

What is the difference between an IP address and a domain name?

A domain name such as example.com is a readable label for humans; the IP address is the number machines actually use to route data. The domain name system translates one into the other, so typing a name in a browser results in a lookup that returns an address.

Is an IP address the same as a physical location?

No. It indicates the network connection a device is using, which usually narrows things down to a city or region and to the internet provider involved. It does not identify a street address or a person by itself.