A disk drive, also known as a hard disk, is an essential component of any computer system. However, when it comes to describing this hardware component, there are several synonyms you can use. One synonym is a "hard drive" which is commonly used as it refers to the sturdy metal platters that store data. Another synonym is a "diskette drive" which was used in earlier computer systems to read floppy disks. "Storage drive" is also a synonym that describes a device that stores data permanently. Lastly, "external hard drive" is another synonym used to describe a hard drive that can be used as an external storage device.