connection-oriented

In telecommunications, connection-oriented describes a means of transmitting data in which the devices at the end points use a preliminary protocol to establish an end-to-end connection before any data is sent, and in which data is sent over the same path during the communication. Connection-oriented protocol service are often but not always "reliable" network service, that provides guarantees that data will arrive in the proper sequence.
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<networking> (Or connection-based, stream-oriented). A type of transport layer data communication service that allows a host to send data in a continuous stream to another host. The transport service will guarantee that all data will be delivered to the other end in the same order as sent and without duplication. Communication proceeds through three well-defined phases: connection establishment, data transfer, connection release. The most common example is Transmission Control Protocol (TCP).
Opposite of connectionless, datagram. See also circuit switching, packet switching, virtual circuit.