socket

socket

(1) A receptacle that receives a plug. See plugs & sockets.

(2) See Unix socket.

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socket

1. a device into which an electric plug can be inserted in order to make a connection in a circuit

2. Chiefly Brit such a device mounted on a wall and connected to the electricity supply

3. a part with an opening or hollow into which some other part, such as a pipe, probe, etc., can be fitted

4. a spanner head having a recess suitable to be fitted over the head of a bolt and a keyway into which a wrench can be fitted

5. Anatomy

a. a bony hollow into which a part or structure fits

b. the receptacle of a ball-and-socket joint

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(networking)

socket - The Berkeley Unix mechansim for creating a virtual connection between processes. Sockets interface Unix's standard I/O with its network communication facilities. They can be of two types, stream (bi-directional) or datagram (fixed length destination-addressed messages). The socket library function socket() creates a communications end-point or socket and returns a file descriptor with which to access that socket. The socket has associated with it a socket address, consisting of a port number and the local host's network address. Unix manual page: socket(2).