language model

noun

plural language models

: a mathematical model (see model entry 1 sense 3) that analyzes a corpus of text in order to accurately represent the relationships between words

We have tremendous freedom to put words in any order we like. The computer has to have some kind of handle, a language model. It has to figure how likely any particular word is to pop up at any time.

—Robert Mercer, quoted in Chicago Tribune

also : software that uses a language model to generate text (such as responses to queries or prompts)

For example, given the task of analyzing the sentiment of the sentence 'I missed the bus today,' researchers could continue with the prompt 'I felt so [blank]' and ask a language model to fill in the blank with an emotion.

—Kyle Wiggers

see also large language model

Examples of language model in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This will be especially important for language models or creative AI systems. —Mohit Menghnani, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2025

Last year the organization undertook some experiments to test how much language models understood their inner workings. —Quanta Magazine, 13 Aug. 2025

For instance, OpenAI uses separate moderation layer models whose operations are completely separate from the underlying language models generating the base text. —ArsTechnica, 12 Aug. 2025

This access allows the language models to stitch together complex and multi-step actions. —David Austin, Fortune, 22 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1976, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for language model

• caudal
• caudle
• dawdle
• twaddle
• waddle
• remodel