thumb drive

noun

A small electronic device used to store digital data, more portable and robust than a hard drive.

Similar
data stickdisk on keyflash drive /flashdrivejump drive /jumpdrivekey drivememory drivememory stickpen drive /pendrive
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Meanings

nounthumb drive (plural thumb drives)

plural thumb drives

  1. computingA small electronic device used to store digital data, more portable and robust than a hard drive.

    The other gadget that Ethan needs to end the Entity is a "poison pill" – a thumb drive, basically – which has been invented by his pal Luther (Ving Rhames).

    2025 May 14, Nicholas Barber, “'A miserable, apocalyptic tract': Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning could be 'the feel-bad film of the summer”, in BBC

    Synonyms: data stick, disk on key, flash drive /flashdrive, jump drive /jumpdrive, key drive, memory drive, memory stick, pen drive /pendrive

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA small electronic device used to store digital data, more portable and robust than a hard drive.

Similar
data stickdisk on keyflash drive /flashdrivejump drive /jumpdrivekey drivememory drivememory stickpen drive /pendriveUSBUSB driveUSB keyUSB stick
Also see
flash diskflash drivejump drivememory stickpen drive

Origin

A trademark owned by Trek Technologies.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

thumb drive. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/thumb%20drive

MLA

“thumb drive.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/thumb%20drive. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “thumb drive,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/thumb%20drive.

Source: thumb drive on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.