CPU
abbreviation or noun
variants
or less commonly cpu
plural CPUs also cpus
: the component of a computer system that performs the system's basic operations (such as processing data), that exchanges data with the system's memory or peripherals, and that manages the system's other components
The speed at which the central processing unit (CPU) runs, measured in megahertz, is a good indicator of a computer's power …—
Brad Hill
Brad HillThese [gaming] consoles require operating systems and CPUs that are different from desktop computers.—finance.yahoo.com
—often used before another nounfinance.yahoo.comCPU speed/performance
called also central processing unit, processor
Examples of CPU in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The next three benchmarks stress the CPU, using all available cores and threads to rate a PC's suitability for processor-intensive workloads.
—PCMAG, 19 Jan. 2025
To recall, the Snapdragon 8 Gen series used to have Arm’s Cortex series cores, but the Snapdragon 8 Elite uses in-house custom CPU cores called Oryon, based on Arm architecture.
—Prakhar Khanna, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
His base case scenario for the stock suggests AMD will grab further market share from Intel in the x86 CPU market — which Intel dominates — by 2028 in PCs and general servers.
—Pia Singh, CNBC, 14 Jan. 2025
The new version can come with an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 CPU, which has 12 CPU cores and 24 threads.
—Kate Irwin, PCMAG, 7 Jan. 2025
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PCMAG, 19 Jan. 2025
To recall, the Snapdragon 8 Gen series used to have Arm’s Cortex series cores, but the Snapdragon 8 Elite uses in-house custom CPU cores called Oryon, based on Arm architecture.
—Prakhar Khanna, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
His base case scenario for the stock suggests AMD will grab further market share from Intel in the x86 CPU market — which Intel dominates — by 2028 in PCs and general servers.
—Pia Singh, CNBC, 14 Jan. 2025
The new version can come with an AMD Ryzen AI 9 HX 370 CPU, which has 12 CPU cores and 24 threads.
—Kate Irwin, PCMAG, 7 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for CPU
Dictionary Entries Near CPU
Cite this Entry
“CPU.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/CPU. Accessed 24 Jan. 2025.
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cpu
nounoften capitalized C&P&U
: the part of a computer that does most of the data processing
Etymology
central processing unit
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