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
Three more benchmarks stress the CPU, using all available cores and threads to rate a PC's suitability for processor-intensive workloads.
—PCMAG, 16 Nov. 2024
The company says the CPU and GPU are both 20 percent faster than the M2.
—Brenda Stolyar, WIRED, 2 Nov. 2024
For 28 years, GIMPS volunteers relied on CPU power to use the organization’s original software.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 24 Oct. 2024
This 2-in-1 HP laptop gives you a lot of bang for your buck, including an Intel Ultra 7 CPU, a 1TB SSD, and 16GB of RAM.
—Jade Chung-Lee, PCMAG, 18 Oct. 2024
The fifth-generation EPYC CPU offers up to 192 efficiency cores for web apps and up to 192 cores for performance-demanding apps.
—Karl Freund, Forbes, 11 Oct. 2024
One of Intel’s key efficiency improvements was getting rid of separate memory sticks or chips, baking it into the CPU package instead.
—Sean Hollister, The Verge, 3 Sep. 2024
These are all coordinated by a 64 MHz ARM CPU, which aggregates and processes all this data.
—Tom Hawking, Popular Science, 14 Aug. 2024
For years, engineers and attackers alike have been most focused on potential vulnerabilities in a computer's central processing unit (CPU) and have optimized for efficiency on GPUs, leaning on them for raw processing power.
—Lily Hay Newman, WIRED, 9 Aug. 2024
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.
PCMAG, 16 Nov. 2024
The company says the CPU and GPU are both 20 percent faster than the M2.
—Brenda Stolyar, WIRED, 2 Nov. 2024
For 28 years, GIMPS volunteers relied on CPU power to use the organization’s original software.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 24 Oct. 2024
This 2-in-1 HP laptop gives you a lot of bang for your buck, including an Intel Ultra 7 CPU, a 1TB SSD, and 16GB of RAM.
—Jade Chung-Lee, PCMAG, 18 Oct. 2024
The fifth-generation EPYC CPU offers up to 192 efficiency cores for web apps and up to 192 cores for performance-demanding apps.
—Karl Freund, Forbes, 11 Oct. 2024
One of Intel’s key efficiency improvements was getting rid of separate memory sticks or chips, baking it into the CPU package instead.
—Sean Hollister, The Verge, 3 Sep. 2024
These are all coordinated by a 64 MHz ARM CPU, which aggregates and processes all this data.
—Tom Hawking, Popular Science, 14 Aug. 2024
For years, engineers and attackers alike have been most focused on potential vulnerabilities in a computer's central processing unit (CPU) and have optimized for efficiency on GPUs, leaning on them for raw processing power.
—Lily Hay Newman, WIRED, 9 Aug. 2024
Dictionary Entries Near CPU
Cite this Entry
“CPU.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/CPU. Accessed 24 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
cpu
nounoften capitalized C&P&U
: the part of a computer that does most of the data processing
Etymology
central processing unit
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share