microcontroller

noun

mi·​cro·​con·​trol·​ler ˈmī-krō-kən-ˌtrō-lər How to pronounce microcontroller (audio)
plural microcontrollers
: an integrated circuit that contains a microprocessor along with memory and associated circuits and that controls some or all of the functions of an electronic device (such as a home appliance) or system

Examples of microcontroller in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Here’s what to look for. Boards The core of every Arduino starter kit is a board that contains a microcontroller. Bob Beacham, Popular Science, 22 Nov. 2024 That said, the team used the system to power an off-the-shelf array of temperature and humidity sensors as well as a microcontroller to broadcast the collected data in real time. Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 3 Sep. 2019 Additionally, smart meters and microcontrollers can monitor when electricity demand is at its lowest price. Vanessa Thompson, Forbes, 25 Sep. 2024 The science bit, in necessarily precise form, is that a microcontroller used by the YubiKey 5 has a vulnerability that means the security key can be cloned. Davey Winder, Forbes, 5 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for microcontroller 

Word History

First Known Use

1971, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of microcontroller was in 1971

Dictionary Entries Near microcontroller

Cite this Entry

“Microcontroller.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/microcontroller. Accessed 2 Dec. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!