terminal emulator

noun

UK /ˈtɜːmɪnəl ˈɛmjʊleɪtə/

US /ˈtɜrmənəl ˈɛmjəleɪtər/

A terminal emulator is a computer program that lets you type commands to control a computer.

She opened a terminal emulator to run the backup script.

SYNONYMS

terminal window console command prompt shell window command-line interface

RELATED WORDS

command line shell SSH client text interface operating system

OTHER MEANINGS

2. Software that mimics an old-style hardware terminal inside a modern window.

The terminal emulator displays text in a green font on a black background.

3. A program used to connect to remote computers over a network.

He used a terminal emulator to log in to the server from home.

4. An app that lets users interact with a system using typed text instead of a mouse.

Many developers keep a terminal emulator open all day.