external hard drive

noun

UK /ɪkˈstɜːnəl hɑːd draɪv/

US /ɪkˈstɜːrnəl hɑːrd draɪv/

A small box you plug into a computer to save lots of files.

I copied all my photos onto my external hard drive.

SYNONYMS

portable drive backup drive external disk USB drive storage device

RELATED WORDS

hard drive flash drive backup storage USB cable

OTHER MEANINGS

2. A backup device kept outside the computer case for safety.

Keep your external hard drive in a safe place.

3. A way to move big files between computers.

She used an external hard drive to bring the video to school.

4. Extra space for a computer that is running out of room.

My laptop was full, so I bought an external hard drive.