Tor: meaning, definitions and examples
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tor
[ tɔr ]
geographical feature
A tor is a large rock outcrop on a hill or mountain, often comprising a prominent feature in the landscape. Tors can be found in various countries and are usually formed through erosion, where softer rock has worn away, leaving the harder rock exposed.
Synonyms
Examples of usage
- The walkers climbed to the top of the tor for a panoramic view.
- The ancient village was nestled at the base of the tor.
- The granite tor stood proudly against the blue sky.
computer science
Tor, short for The Onion Router, is a free software for enabling anonymous communication over the Internet. It directs Internet traffic through a free worldwide volunteer overlay network consisting of more than seven thousand relays to conceal a user's location and usage from network surveillance or traffic analysis.
Synonyms
anonymity network, privacy tool.
Examples of usage
- Many users utilize Tor for anonymous browsing.
- The whistleblower accessed the dark web via Tor.
- Tor is commonly used to bypass internet censorship.
Etymology
The term 'tor' originates from the Old English word 'torr', meaning a rocky hill or a crag. The word likely has roots in Proto-West Germanic and is cognate with similar terms in other Germanic languages. Its usage to describe significant geological features dates back centuries, where it has been employed in literature and maps to denote notable peaks or rock formations. In modern contexts, particularly in geographical and outdoor navigation, 'tor' remains a precise term to refer to specific types of rock formations, especially in regions like Dartmoor in Devon, England, where such features are prominent. The dual meaning of the term has emerged with technological developments, particularly referring to the Tor network established in the early 2000s to enhance privacy and anonymity online, which has since gained widespread use.