motherboard

moth·er·board

M0437950 (mŭth′ər-bôrd′)n. The main printed circuit board in a complex electronic device, such as a personal computer, usually containing the central processing unit, the main system memory, and other components essential to the device's operation.

motherboard

(ˈmʌðəˌbɔːd) n (Electronics) (in an electronic system) a printed circuit board through which signals between all other boards are routed

moth•er•board

(ˈmʌð ərˌbɔrd, -ˌboʊrd)

n. a rigid slotted board upon which other boards that contain the basic circuitry of a computer or of a computer component can be mounted. [1970-75]

moth·er·board

(mŭth′ər-bôrd′) The main circuit board of a computer, usually containing the central processing unit and main system memory as well as circuitry that controls the disk drives, keyboard, monitor, and other peripheral devices.

motherboard

A circuit board into which other PCBs can be slotted.

Translations

carte mèrescheda madre

motherboard

[′məth·ər‚bȯrd] (computer science) A common pathway over which information is transmitted between the hardware devices (the central processing unit, memory, and each of the peripheral control units) in a microcomputer.

motherboard

(hardware)(mobo) The main printed circuit board in anelectronic device, particularly a computer, which may containsockets that accept additional boards ("daughter-boards").

In a personal computer, the motherboard contains the bus,the microprocessor, and integrated circuits used forcontrolling any built-in peripherals such as the keyboard,text and graphics display, serial ports and parallel ports, joystick, and mouse interfaces.

motherboard

Also called the "system board," "main board" "base board" or "logic board," it is the primary printed circuit board in a computer or other electronic device. In a modern desktop computer, the motherboard contains the CPU and RAM sockets as well as the chipset, which houses the control circuits for all the peripheral devices (drives, keyboard, mouse, etc.). A motherboard typically also has a PCI-Express slot for a high-end graphics card and PCI slots for additional peripherals. Laptop motherboards do not have expansion slots for more peripherals.

Wanna Sound Cool?
Every now and then, say "mobo" instead of motherboard, and you will be a "cool geek." See CPU, chipset, PCI Express, PCI and controller.

PC Motherboard

This earlier Baby AT style motherboard required plug-in expansion cards for almost all the peripheral devices. The ISA slots are long gone, and the AGP slot was replaced with PCI-Express.

Expansion Cards

On earlier PCs, expansion cards were required for almost all peripheral devices except keyboard and mouse. Today, enthusiasts may plug in a faster graphics card, but most peripheral control circuits are already on the motherboard.

The Mother of All Motherboards

This is the front and back of the prototype of the first IBM PC motherboard in 1981. The chips are wired together on a "breadboard." (Images courtesy of IBM.) See breadboard.

The Mother of All Motherboards

This is the front and back of the prototype of the first IBM PC motherboard in 1981. The chips are wired together on a "breadboard." (Images courtesy of IBM.) See breadboard.