one of the inherent cognitive or perceptual powers of the mind
"After years of meditation, she felt her module for detecting subtle social cues had sharpened significantly."
detachable compartment of a spacecraft
"The astronauts successfully docked the life support module to the main spacecraft before landing on Mars."
computer circuit consisting of an assembly of electronic components (as of computer hardware)
"The technician swapped out the faulty module to restore power to the server rack."
a self-contained component (unit or item) that is used in combination with other components
"The new software module integrates seamlessly with the existing database to handle user authentication without disrupting other system functions."
A self-contained component of a system, often interchangeable, which has a well-defined interface to the other components.
"The software engineer replaced the outdated payment module in the application without affecting the rest of the codebase."
In plain English: A module is a separate, reusable part of a larger system that can be added or changed without affecting the rest.
"The software update was designed as a separate module that could be installed without affecting the rest of the system."
Usage: Use "module" to describe a distinct, self-contained unit within a larger system that can be added or removed without affecting the whole. This applies to physical parts like software components or mechanical devices as much as it does to abstract concepts in computing.
The word "module" comes from the Old French module, which was borrowed from the Latin modulus meaning "a small measure." This original sense of a standard unit or meter eventually traveled into English to describe a detachable part of a machine or a self-contained section of software.