Meaning & use
read-write
Last updated
Meanings
adjectivebefore a nouncomputing
Describing a file, disk or permission that can be both opened to view its contents and changed or saved by the user.
Grammar: Used before a noun: a read-write file; the opposite is read-only.
Patterns
- read-write access to something
- a read-write file
I need read-write access to edit the shared spreadsheet.
The drive is mounted as read-write, so you can save changes.
Only the administrator has read-write permission on this folder.
adjectivebefore a nouncomputingold-fashioned
Describing storage media, such as a rewritable disc, that can be recorded on again after the first use.
Grammar: Used before a noun: a read-write disc.
Patterns
- a read-write disc
She burned the files onto a read-write disc.
A read-write disc can be erased and reused many times.
The old computer had a read-write drive for CDs.
Common combinations
- read-write access
- The team has read-write access to the shared drive.
- read-write permission
- Grant read-write permission to your coworker.
- read-write mode
- Open the file in read-write mode.
- read-write memory
- RAM is a kind of read-write memory.
- mount as read-write
- The system will mount the disk as read-write.
Synonyms and how they differ
- writable
- Writable stresses only that you can save changes, while read-write also says you can view the contents.
- editable
- Editable is an everyday word for anything you can change, while read-write is a technical access setting.
- rewritable
- Rewritable mainly describes discs that can be recorded on repeatedly, whereas read-write can apply to permissions as well.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: read-write or read-only?
read-write vs read-only
Read-only is the opposite: you can open the file to look at it, but you cannot save any changes.
Practice
You can open a document and also save changes to it. The document is set to ____.
Choose one answer.
Read-write means you can both view and change the file. Read-only and write-protected both stop you saving changes.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “read-write”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.