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  • Ada
    Ada
    noun
    a programming language particularly suited to real-time applications: developed for use by the U.S. Department of Defense.
  • ADA
    ADA
    abbreviation
  • A.D.A.
    A.D.A.
    abbreviation
    American Dental Association.

Ada

1 American  
[ey-duh] / ˈeɪ də /

noun

Computers.
  1. a programming language particularly suited to real-time applications: developed for use by the U.S. Department of Defense.


Ada 2 American  
[ey-duh] / ˈeɪ də /

noun

  1. a city in central Oklahoma.

  2. Douay Bible. Adah.

  3. a first name: from a Germanic word meaning “noble.”


ADA 3 American  

abbreviation

  1. adenosine deaminase.

  2. American Dental Association. null A.D.A.

  3. American Diabetes Association. null A.D.A.

  4. Americans for Democratic Action. null A.D.A.

  5. Americans with Disabilities Act: a federal law prohibiting discrimination against people with physical or mental impairments and guaranteeing access to employment opportunities and access to state and local government programs and services, signed by President George H. W. Bush in 1990.


A.D.A. 4 American  
Or ADA

abbreviation

  1. American Dental Association.

  2. American Diabetes Association.

  3. Americans for Democratic Action.


Ada British  
/ ˈeɪdə /

noun

  1. a high-level computer programming language designed for dealing with real-time processing problems: used for military and other systems

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of Ada

Named after Augusta Ada (Byron), Countess of Lovelace (1815–37), English mathematician, who assisted Charles Babbage in developing a precursor of the modern computer

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"This study offers a seminal contribution to our understanding of aqueous solution thermodynamics," said co-author and Mechanical Engineering Department Head Dr. Guillermo Aguilar, who serves as the James and Ada Forsyth Professor.

From Science Daily • Apr. 27, 2026

In 2016, Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, taking inspiration and personnel from Barack Obama’s two election wins, was a data-heavy enterprise that relied on analytics — and, famously, an algorithm named Ada.

From Salon • Apr. 13, 2026

The show will also star Dylan Brady, Ada Player, Harry Baxendale and Yasmine Al-Khudhairi as the students who become part of the unlikely house share.

From BBC • Mar. 25, 2026

In Ada Louise Huxtable’s architecture writing, buildings whirl off their footings and built interiors entice us to dance.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 24, 2026

The recovery operations at Yassi Ada were carried out from 1961 to 1964 and required 3,533 dives.

From "Shipwrecked!" by Martin W. Sandler