operand

noun

op·​er·​and ˌä-pə-ˈrand How to pronounce operand (audio)
: something (such as a quantity or data) that is operated on (as in a mathematical operation)
also : the address in a computer instruction of data to be operated on

Examples of operand in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Or the addition operations that add the pixel values to TOTAL could be run at a lower voltage level because both of the operands are approximate, but the operations that increase the two counter variables would have to be run at the normal voltage so that they were always computed exactly. Adrian Sampson, IEEE Spectrum, 26 Sep. 2013 The three operands of NOUN 7 were 105, the address of flagword 9 containing LETABBIT; 400 (100 000 000 binary) which selected bit 9 in the word; and then 0, to turn the bit off. Frank O’Brien, Ars Technica, 30 Jan. 2020

Word History

Etymology

oper(ate) + -and (as in multiplicand)

First Known Use

1853, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of operand was in 1853

Dictionary Entries Near operand

Cite this Entry

“Operand.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/operand. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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