chip carrier

chip carrier

(1) The package that a chip is mounted in. See chip package.

(2) A chip package with connectors on all sides. See leaded chip carrier and leadless chip carrier.

An Old Chip Package
Chips like this old Motorola 6801 microcontroller used to be packaged in a housing with pins that plugged into a circuit board. Today most chips are soldered on top of the board (see QFP and BGA).