app

¹ 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 ² American  

[ap] / æp /

noun

1. Informal. an appetizer served before a meal.

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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

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

Origin of app¹

By shortening

Example Sentences

You can turn off notifications for social-media apps, disable lock-screen notifications or only allow notifications from certain people while enabling “do not disturb” for everyone else.

From The Wall Street Journal

In October, Google said it had removed several apps from its app store which allowed users to report and document sightings of ICE agents.

From BBC

The lawyers said Uber internal documents revealed at trial showed that the app’s internal Safety Risk Assessed Dispatch algorithm identified the trip as having an elevated risk of a serious safety incident.

From The Wall Street Journal

As Americans struggle to afford necessities such as housing, transportation, insurance, childcare and education, many households — including low- and middle-income ones — are seeing another expense creep up in their monthly budgets: restaurant-delivery apps.

From MarketWatch

When Mr. Ma saw a dating app from Hong Kong on a colleague’s new smartphone, though, he realized that his website was a relic from another age.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• program
• software