RS-232是美国电子工业联盟（EIA）制定的串行数据通信的接口标准，原始编号全称是EIA-RS-232（简称232，RS232）。它被广泛用于计算机串行接口外设连接。

RS-232C标准，其中EIA（Electronic Industry Association）代表美国电子工业联盟,RS（Recommended standard）代表推荐标准，232是标识号，C代表RS232的第三次修改（1969年），在这之前，还有RS232B、RS232A。

目前的最新版本是由美国电信工业协会（TIA, Telecommunications Industry Association，由EIA所分出的一个组织）所发行的TIA-232-F，它同时也是美国国家标准ANSI/TIA-232-F-1997 (R2002），此标准于2002年受到再确认。在 1997年由TIA/EIA发行当时的编号则是TIA/EIA-232-F与ANSI/TIA/EIA-232-F-1997。在此之前的版本是TIA/EIA-232-E。

In telecommunications, RS-232 is a standard for serial communication transmission of data. It formally defines the signals connecting between a DTE (data terminal equipment) such as a computer terminal, and a DCE (data circuit-terminating equipment or data communication equipment), such as a modem. The RS-232 standard is commonly used in computer serial ports. The standard defines the electrical characteristics and timing of signals, the meaning of signals, and the physical size and pinout of connectors. The current version of the standard is TIA-232-F Interface Between Data Terminal Equipment and Data Circuit-Terminating Equipment Employing Serial Binary Data Interchange, issued in 1997.