app

¹ American  

[ap] / æp /

noun

1. Informal. an appetizer served before a meal.

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app ² American  

[ap] / æp /

noun

1. Digital Technology. a software application, often a small, specialized program for mobile devices.

   You’ll find numerous free photo editing apps in the app store on your smartphone.

   The word processing app that comes with the laptop isn’t adequate for our publishing needs.

2. an application; a form to be filled out by an applicant.

   I'm working on my college apps.

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app. ³ American  

abbreviation

1. apparatus.

2. apparent.

3. appendix.

4. applied.

5. appointed.

6. approved.

7. approximate.

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app British  

/ æp /

noun

1. informal computing short for application program

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Etymology

Origin of app¹

By shortening

Origin of app¹

First recorded in 1985–90; shortening of application ( def. )

Example Sentences

For about a decade, whenever Jay Moorer wanted to add to his investment portfolio, he opened an app on his phone to buy stocks or cryptocurrencies.

From The Wall Street Journal

Bartlett, on the other hand, says he is a longtime soccer aficionado who stumbled upon the canceled Total 90 trademark while looking up names for a soccer fantasy app he wanted to develop.

From The Wall Street Journal

But she stresses the importance of parental controls, adding: "I think all these devices, they have so many parental controls... I deactivated web search and made it so he can't purchase things in apps."

From BBC

It’s easier because an ever-growing number of budgeting apps help streamline the process.

From MarketWatch

The bear, powered by OpenAI’s LLM, comes with an app where users pick characters like a princess or a robot for a story.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• program
• software