configure
kuhn-FIG-yer
/kənˈfɪɡjər/
To set up, arrange, or adjust the parameters and settings of a software application or hardware system.
Configuring is about customization and optimization. It is the process of telling a program exactly how you want it to behave on your specific machine.
The story behind the word. From Latin com- (together) + figurare (to form or shape). Originally used in the 16th century to describe the relative positions of planets. In the computing age, it was adopted to describe how various software and hardware components are arranged to work together.
Word relationships
- customize: Customize is a general term for changing things to suit personal taste, while configure specifically implies setting technical parameters for functionality.
- reset: To reset is to return all configurations to their default, factory-set state.
Commonly confused with
- install: Installing copies and registers the software files, while configuring sets up the preferences and parameters for how it runs.
Word family
- configuration (noun): The arrangement or settings of a system.
Collocations
- configure settings
- manually configure
- configure a router
- system configuration
Example sentences
- "You will need to configure your environment variables before running the application for the first time." A setup guide for a new developer environment.
Memory hook
Think of arranging 'figures' (shapes) on a board until they fit perfectly. Shape the settings to fit your needs.
When not to use
Do not use configure when you are simply copying files to a hard drive; that is 'installing'. Configuring happens during or after installation.
Fun facts
- In the early days of PCs, users had to manually configure physical 'jumpers' on circuit boards to add new hardware, a tedious process replaced by modern 'Plug and Play' systems.
Related words
Also appears in
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.