punch card

or punch·card, punched card


noun

a card having holes punched in specific positions and patterns so as to represent data to be stored or processed mechanically, electrically, or photoelectrically.

Origin of punch card

First recorded in 1940–45

British Dictionary definitions for punched card

punched card

esp US punch card


noun

(formerly) a card on which data can be coded in the form of punched holes. In computing, there were usually 80 columns and 12 rows, each column containing a pattern of holes representing one character Sometimes shortened to: card