dongle
/ˈdɑŋɡl̩/noun
dongle is spelled D-O-N-G-L-E: 6 letters. It appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 45,947th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, dongle means “Any small device that plugs into an electronic device, typically a computer, and alters its functionality. Common examples include wireless modems…” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of dongle is dongles.
How many letters and syllables are in dongle?
| Letters | 6: D-O-N-G-L-E |
|---|---|
| In writing | about once in every 2 million words; the 45,947th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Same letters |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is dongle?
Dongle appears about once in every 2 million words in written English, the 45,947th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce dongle?
- UK /ˈdɒŋɡl̩/
- US /ˈdɑŋɡl̩/
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-dongle.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with dongle?
No other word on PlainSpell ends in the same sounds as dongle (/ɑŋɡl/).
Spelled with the same letters in another order: golden.
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of dongle
- dongles plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does dongle mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
Any small device that plugs into an electronic device, typically a computer, and alters its functionality. Common examples include wireless modems, digital media players, software copy protect devices, and adapters.
- 2
A hardware device used by a specific application for purposes of copy protection.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Dongle in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| German | Adapter , Dongle, Kopierschutzstecker |
| French | dongle, clé électronique |
| Spanish | dongle |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does dongle come from?
Unknown. Likely a descendant of dangle, reflecting that electronic accessories such as computer peripherals often are plugged in via a flexible cable (although wirelessness is also often relevant). Claims that the word comes from a man named "Don Gall" were made up by an advertisement. First usage 1980-1985.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).