A physical platform that holds electronic components and routes electrical signals between them. It consists of insulating layers bonded with conductive copper traces, which are etched from solid sheets. The board provides structural integrity and exact routing for complex circuits.
Grab a blank circuit board from the rack so we can test the new drill file.
While laypeople say circuit board, engineers almost exclusively use the acronym PCB or just call it a board.
Related terms
Printed circuit board
A laminated sandwich of insulating material and conductive copper routing used to mount and connect electronic components.
Bare board
A manufactured printed circuit board before any components are soldered onto it.
PCB
Printed Circuit Board, the physical fiberglass and copper substrate that holds and connects components.