general-purpose

American  

[jen-er-uhl-pur-puhs] / ˈdʒɛn ər əlˈpɜr pəs /

adjective

1. useful in many ways; not limited in use or function.

   a good general-purpose dictionary.

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general-purpose British  

adjective

1. having a range of uses or applications; not restricted to one function

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Etymology

Origin of general-purpose

First recorded in 1890–95

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

general-purpose

That was the real moment of transition, from an application to a general-purpose technology anyone could use.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 27, 2026

Legacy uses the same general-purpose machines available to other businesses willing to invest in the equipment, and no printers are marketed exclusively for Hollywood, he said.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 19, 2026

Less than half of general-purpose law-enforcement agencies had acquired body cameras in 2016, and many hadn’t equipped front-line officers with them.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026

The commission described an "urgent need" to protect a "growing market for general-purpose AI assistants" and give space for smaller players and new entrants to challenge large incumbents.

From Barron's ● Jun. 9, 2026

By 1991, Unix had become the most widely used multiuser general-purpose operating system in the world.

From The Jargon File, Version 4.0.0, 24 Jul 1996 by Raymond, Eric S.