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Synonyms

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.
app 2 American  
[ap] / æp /

noun

  1. Informal. an appetizer served before a meal.

app. 3 American  

abbreviation

  1. apparatus.

  2. apparent.

  3. appendix.

  4. applied.

  5. appointed.

  6. approved.

  7. approximate.

app British  
/ æp /

noun

  1. informal computing short for application program

"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 app1

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

Origin of app2

By shortening

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.

"If we have a criminal law that's actually criminalising this behaviour, we can also say that these apps are no longer allowed because they are offering illegal services".

From BBC

Sen. Elizabeth Warren is raising concerns about a popular YouTuber’s recent venture into financial services with his acquisition of a banking app called Step and its connection to a bank with a troubled history.

From MarketWatch

There are numerous apps that will show you where you can find the cheapest gas near you — GasBuddy and Gas Guru are among the most popular.

From MarketWatch

Daniel said he met members of the comm through the encrypted messaging app Telegram.

From Los Angeles Times

Tech leaders at large corporations say that, for now, they’re vibe-coding their own small, custom apps, and putting pressure on their software vendors.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.