in·ter·face

[n. in-ter-feys; v. in-ter-feys, in-ter-feys] noun, verb, in·ter·faced, in·ter·fac·ing.
noun
1.
a surface regarded as the common boundary of two bodies, spaces, or phases.
2.
the facts, problems, considerations, theories, practices, etc., shared by two or more disciplines, procedures, or fields of study: the interface between chemistry and physics.
3.
a common boundary or interconnection between systems, equipment, concepts, or human beings.
4.
communication or interaction: Interface between the parent company and its subsidiaries has never been better.
5.
a thing or circumstance that enables separate and sometimes incompatible elements to coordinate effectively: The organization serves as an interface between the state government and the public.
6.
Computers.
a.
equipment or programs designed to communicate information from one system of computing devices or programs to another.
b.
any arrangement for such communication.
verb (used with object)
7.
to bring into an interface.
8.
to bring together; connect or mesh: The management is interfacing several departments with an information service from overseas.
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verb (used without object)
9.
to be in an interface.
10.
to function as an interface.
11.
to meet or communicate directly; interact, coordinate, synchronize, or harmonize (often followed by with ): The two communications systems are able to interface with each other.
Origin:
1880–85; inter- + face

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Collins
World English Dictionary
interface
 
—n
1.  chem a surface that forms the boundary between two bodies, liquids, or chemical phases
2.  a common point or boundary between two things, subjects, etc
3.  an electrical circuit linking one device, esp a computer, with another
 
—vb
4.  (tr) to design or adapt the input and output configurations of (two electronic devices) so that they may work together compatibly
5.  to be or become an interface (with)
6.  to be or become interactive (with)
 
interfacial
 
—adj
 
inter'facially
 
—adv

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

interface
1962 (n.), 1967 (v.), from inter- + face.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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American Heritage
Medical Dictionary

interface in·ter·face (ĭn'tər-fās')
n.
A surface forming a common boundary between adjacent regions or bodies.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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American Heritage
Science Dictionary
interface   (ĭn'tər-fās')  Pronunciation Key 

  1. The point of interaction or communication between a computer and any other entity, such as a printer or human operator.

  2. The layout of an application's graphic or textual controls in conjunction with the way the application responds to user activity. See more at GUI.


The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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FOLDOC
Computing Dictionary

interface definition

jargon
A boundary across which two systems communicate. An interface might be a hardware connector used to link to other devices, or it might be a convention used to allow communication between two software systems. Often there is some intermediate component between the two systems which connects their interfaces together. For example, two EIA-232 interfaces connected via a serial cable.
See also graphical user interface, Application Program Interface.
(1996-05-22)

The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, © Denis Howe 2010 http://foldoc.org
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Encyclopedia Britannica
Encyclopedia

interface

surface separating two phases of matter, each of which may be solid, liquid, or gaseous. An interface is not a geometric surface but a thin layer that has properties differing from those of the bulk material on either side of the interface. A common interface is that between a body of water and the air, which exhibits such properties as surface tension, by which the interface acts somewhat like a stretched elastic membrane. Interfacial effects, or processes that occur at interfaces, include the evaporation of liquids, the action of detergents and chemical catalysts, and the adsorption of gases on metals

Learn more about interface with a free trial on Britannica.com.

Encyclopedia Britannica, 2008. Encyclopedia Britannica Online.
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Example sentences
In other words, the design and interface of an airline's website really can
  have a significant effect on its bottom line.
Enter your arrival and departure stations and travel dates in the ticket
  booking interface.
The user interface still sucked, and new features had stopped appearing.
Instead, simple mutations caused them to lose an interface.
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