processor

noun

pro·​ces·​sor ˈprä-ˌse-sər How to pronounce processor (audio)
ˈprō-
1
: one that processes
scrap processor
agricultural processor
2
a(1)
(2)
: a component of a computer that processes data
specifically : cpu
b
: a computer program (such as a compiler) that puts another program into a form acceptable to the computer
3

Examples of processor in a Sentence

the largest seafood processor in the country
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
About a year and 10 months later, the M4 Pro processor is here to lift the Mac mini (starting at $1,399 with M4 Pro; $2,199 as tested) to soaring new heights. PCMAG, 7 Nov. 2024 Google added a faster and more energy efficient processor and upped the RAM to 16 megabytes. Larry Magid, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024 The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, a government agency that aims to ensure fairness in the marketplace, estimated in a report in July that school meal payment processors collect more than $100 million in transaction fees a year. Elizabeth Chuck, NBC News, 4 Nov. 2024 Many processors used a combination of models, averaging their predictions to create a more accurate risk score for each transaction. Parth Vatsal, Forbes, 4 Nov. 2024 See all Example Sentences for processor 

Word History

First Known Use

1909, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of processor was in 1909

Dictionary Entries Near processor

Cite this Entry

“Processor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/processor. Accessed 16 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

processor

noun
pro·​ces·​sor ˈpräs-ˌes-ər How to pronounce processor (audio)
ˈprōs-
1
: a person or machine that processes
2
: a part of a computer that processes data
especially : cpu

More from Merriam-Webster on processor

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!