buffer

noun
UK: /ˈbʌfər/
US: /ˈbʌfər/

  1. A thing or person that reduces a shock or protects from impacts.

    1. The trees acted as a buffer against the strong wind.
    2. The financial buffer helped the company withstand the economic downturn.

  2. An area of land that separates two places and protects from unwanted impact.

    1. A buffer zone was established between the warring countries.
    2. The park creates a buffer to prevent further city expansion.

  3. A substance that resists changes in pH when acid or base is added.

    1. The buffer in the solution maintained a stable pH level.
    2. We added a buffer to prevent the reaction from becoming too acidic.

  4. A temporary storage area, especially in a computer, to compensate for differences in data-handling rates.

    1. The video is buffering due to a slow internet connection.
    2. Data is written to the buffer before being processed by the CPU.

Synonyms

cushion shield safeguard screen protect absorb moderate lessen
buffer verb

  1. To lessen or moderate the impact of something.

    1. The thick coat buffered him from the cold.
    2. Savings can buffer you against unexpected financial emergencies.

  2. To store data temporarily in a buffer.

    1. The computer buffered the video to prevent interruptions.
    2. The device buffered the audio stream for smoother playback.

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "buffer" in English means: A thing or person that reduces a shock or protects from impacts., An area of land that separates two places and protects from unwanted impact., A substance that resists changes in pH when acid or base is added., A temporary storage area, especially in a computer, to compensate for differences in data-handling rates..

The phonetic transcription of "buffer" is /ˈbʌfər/ in British English and /ˈbʌfər/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "buffer": cushion, shield, safeguard, screen, protect, absorb, moderate, lessen.

Example usage of "buffer": "The trees acted as a buffer against the strong wind.". More examples on the page.