offline
OFF-line
/ˈɔfˌlaɪn/
Not connected to the internet or a central computer network; occurring outside digital environments.
In business contexts, taking a conversation 'offline' means discussing it privately outside of a formal meeting.
The story behind the word. Originated in 1950s computer technology. Early mainframe operations distinguished between equipment controlled directly by the master unit ('online') and peripherals operating independently on separate machinery ('offline').
Word relationships
- disconnected: Disconnected can suggest an unintended loss of connection, whereas offline often describes an intentional mode or state.
- online: Online means actively connected to a network, while offline means completely detached.
Commonly confused with
- disconnect: Offline is an adjective or state of being, while disconnect is the action that causes or describes the separation.
Collocations
- offline mode
- go offline
- offline access
- take this offline
Idioms & expressions
- take it offline
Example sentences
- "To live offline is becoming a rare luxury in the modern world." Digital Lifestyle
- "Let's take this budget conversation offline so we don't hold up the rest of the group." Business Meetings
Memory hook
OFF the network LINE. Disconnected from the digital network.
When not to use
Do not use offline to describe broken physical hardware, only the lack of active network linkage.
Fun facts
- Google Chrome's famous 'Dino Game' appears automatically whenever your browser detects that your device has gone offline.
Related words
Explore more words
Online, out of office, disconnect, downtime, Asynchronous, outage
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