Phrase guide

local area network

noun · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈləʊklˌɛːɹɪəˌnɛtwəːk/
  • Canada: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

An interconnection of computers that are in relatively close proximity to each other, such as within a building.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences

Examples

  • A local area network connects all of the computers in our office.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: LAN

Antonyms: WAN, wide area network

Broader terms: network, computer network

2

noun

Meaning 2

A network on which all devices communicate using OSI model device layer addressing.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

A network on which all communication is delivered by way of MAC addresses and that is not routed.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: Internet

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

a local computer network for communication between computers; especially a network connecting computers and word processors and other electronic office equipment to create a communication system between offices

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: LAN

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: computer network

Narrower terms: ethernet, wireless local area network, WLAN, wireless fidelity, WiFi

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

33 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 局域網 /局域网 (júyùwǎng) — network
  • Chinese Mandarin: 區域網路 /区域网路 (qūyù wǎnglù) — network
  • Dutch: local area network — network
  • Dutch: lokaal netwerk — network
  • Finnish: lähiverkko — network
  • Finnish: paikallisverkko — network
  • Finnish: LAN — network
  • French: réseau local — network
  • French: LAN — network
  • French: RLE — network
  • German: Local Area Network — network
  • German: lokales Netzwerk — network
  • Greek: ΤΔ (TD) — network
  • Greek: τοπικό δίκτυο (topikó díktyo) — network
  • Hebrew: רֶשֶׁת תִּקְשֹׁרֶת מְקוֹמִית — network
  • Hungarian: helyi hálózat — network
  • Icelandic: staðarnet — network
  • Icelandic: nærnet — network
  • Japanese: ローカル・エリア・ネットワーク (rōkaru-eria-nettowāku) — network
  • Kazakh: жергілікті торап (jergılıktı torap) — network
  • Korean: 근거리 통신망 (geun'geori tongsinmang) — network
  • Korean: 로컬 영역 네트워크 (rokeol yeong'yeok neteuwokeu) — network
  • Māori: whatunga rohe paetata — network
  • Polish: lokalna sieć komputerowa — network
  • Portuguese: rede local — network
  • Portuguese: LAN — network
  • Portuguese: rede de área local — network
  • Russian: лока́льная вычисли́тельная сеть (lokálʹnaja vyčislítelʹnaja setʹ) — network
  • Russian: ЛВС (LVS) — network
  • Russian: лока́льная сеть (lokálʹnaja setʹ) — network
  • Russian: лока́лка (lokálka) — network
  • Vietnamese: mạng cục bộ — network
  • Vietnamese: mạng máy tính cục bộ — network