noun
URL
you-ar-EL
URL (noun) means the full web address of a page, image or file on the internet, typed into a browser or shared as a link — for example https://www.example.com/about. Example: “Paste the URL into the address bar and press enter.”
noun
1
The full web address of a page, image or file on the internet, typed into a browser or shared as a link — for example https://www.example.com/about.
"Paste the URL into the address bar and press enter."
"She copied the URL and sent it to me on WhatsApp."
2
In technical use, a standardised string that identifies a resource and states the protocol used to fetch it, such as https, ftp or mailto.
"The API returns a signed URL that expires after ten minutes."
How to use URL
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe web address of a page.
When to use it
Neutral; written in capitals. 'A URL' is standard, matching the spoken 'you'.
Memory tip
Use 'a URL', not 'an URL', because the spoken form begins with a 'y' sound.
Trace the full origin ↓
Easily confused with
Common pairings
copy the URL
paste a URL
short URL
URL bar
broken URL
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Fill the gap
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Paste the _____ into the address bar and press enter.
Etymology
An initialism of Uniform Resource Locator.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for URL
See all rhymes for URL →Frequently asked questions
What does URL stand for?
Uniform Resource Locator. The name describes its job: it locates a specific resource, such as a page or file, in a uniform format that any browser can read.
What is the difference between a URL and a domain name?
The domain name is only the site part, such as example.com. The URL is the whole address, including the protocol at the front and any path, page and query string after the domain. Every URL contains a domain, but a domain on its own is not a full URL.
How do you pronounce URL?
Most people spell it out as 'you-ar-el'. Some technologists say it as a single word, 'earl', but the letter-by-letter pronunciation is far more common and always understood.
What is the meaning of URL?
"URL" (noun) means the full web address of a page, image or file on the internet, typed into a browser or shared as a link — for example https://www.example.com/about.
