A plugin is a small piece of software that adds a specific feature to a larger program, like a browser or a music app. It “plugs in” to the main software to extend what it can do.
Formed from the phrasal verb *plug in*, originally about connecting electrical devices to a power socket. In computing, the idea was borrowed to describe connecting extra software modules into a main system.
The metaphor is literal: just like plugging a lamp into a wall, a plugin “draws power” from a bigger program. Modern apps like browsers or design tools are almost like empty shells waiting for plugins to give them personality.
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