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central processing unit

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noun Computers.
CPU.
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Also called central processor.

Origin of central processing unit

First recorded in 1965–70
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use central processing unit in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for central processing unit

central processing unit

noun
the part of a computer that performs logical and arithmetical operations on the data as specified in the instructionsAbbreviation: CPU
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

Scientific definitions for central processing unit

central processing unit

The part of a computer that interprets and carries out instructions provided by the software. It tests and manipulates data, and transfers information to and from other components, such as the working memory, disk drive, monitor, and keyboard. The central processing units of personal computers are generally implemented on a single chip, called a microprocessor.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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