laptop

1 of 2

adjective

lap·​top ˈlap-ˌtäp 

: of a size and design that makes operation and use on one's lap convenient compare desktop

laptop

2 of 2

noun

: a portable microcomputer having its main components (such as processor, keyboard, and display screen) integrated into a single unit capable of battery-powered operation

Examples of laptop in a Sentence

Noun

He uses a laptop for business when he travels.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

From a padded laptop sleeve for your tech to multiple zip pockets for quick-access items, it’s built to keep your essentials secure and your look polished, wherever work takes you—a choice carry-on backpack, for sure. —Laura Lajiness Kaupke, Glamour, 20 Dec. 2024

The laptop sleeve inside the backpack keeps computers and other electronics secure and safe. —Anne Taylor, Travel + Leisure, 8 Oct. 2024

Noun

On a mid-September night two years ago, three friends from Johnson County sat in front of their school laptops and connected through an online video chat program. —Laura Bauer, Kansas City Star, 16 Jan. 2025

One of them, Evan Page, sat in front of his laptop building out a character and then breezed through the levels of the game, learning the programming language Python along the way. —Michael Butler, Miami Herald, 16 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1984, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1984, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

laptop

1 of 2 adjective

lap·​top -ˌtäp 

: of a size and design that makes use on one's lap convenient

laptop

2 of 2 noun

: a portable computer that is small enough to use on one's lap, has its main components (as keyboard and display screen) combined in one unit, and can run on battery power