processor

American  

[pros-es-er, proh-ses-] / ˈprɒs ɛs ər, ˈproʊ sɛs- /

Sometimes processer

noun

1. a person or thing that processes.

2. Computers.

   1. a controller, the key component of a computing device that contains the circuitry necessary to interpret and execute electrical signals fed into the device.

   2. a computer.

3. food processor.

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processor British  

/ ˈprəʊsɛsə /

noun

1. computing another name for central processing unit

2. a person or thing that carries out a process

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processor Scientific  

/ prŏs′ĕs′ər,prō′sĕs′- /

1. A part of a computer, such as the central processing unit, that performs calculations or other manipulations of data.

2. A program that translates another program into a form acceptable by the computer being used.

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Etymology

Origin of processor

First recorded in 1905–10; process + -or ²

Explanation

A processor is a person or machine that goes through certain procedures to achieve a particular result. A milk processor milks cows, stores the milk, pasteurizes it, and bottles it before you buy it a store. There are many different kinds of processors, but what they all have in common is going through a process, a series of specific steps, to accomplish something. The food processor in your kitchen quickly dices pounds of onions, a task that would take considerable work to complete by hand. A word processor does the same for writing, allowing you to easily edit text. Computer processors control and move vast amounts of data. The Latin root means "advance or progress."

Example Sentences

Those values must remain synchronized across thousands of computing nodes to accurately reproduce the behavior of a real quantum processor.

From Science Daily • May 11, 2026

The simulation models the detailed quantum behavior of an actual processor.

From Science Daily • May 11, 2026

Nela Richardson, chief economist at ADP, the U.S.’s largest processor of company payrolls, said medium-sized companies still show signs of weakness.

From MarketWatch • May 8, 2026

Alas, since there aren’t any emotional stakes, the action scenes are about as interesting as seeing tomatoes being put through the food processor.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026

Those machines, like a lot of things required by the USDA, are way too expensive for a small, local meat processor.

From "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan