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• front end
  front end

  noun

  the front part of something.
• front-end
  front-end

  adjective

  being or relating to the front part of something.

front end

¹ American  

[fruhnt end] / ˈfrʌnt ˈɛnd /

front-end

noun

1. the front part of something.

   The frame, front end, and handlebars are all constructed from alloy tubing.

2. the earlier part of a process or span of time.

   Faculty members hope to be included at the front end of these new initiatives, rather than only in the final implementation.

3. Computers. Sometimes frontend the parts of a computer program, website, system, network, etc., that the user can see or directly interact with.

   Our simple front end is designed so customers and users can easily navigate toward the information and products you want them to see.

   What front end do you use for your point-of-sale system?

4. the part of an organization or process that operates in the foreground or in the public view.

   Working the front end at a grocery store I did everything from cashier to fetching carts from the parking lot.

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front-end ² American  

[fruhnt-end] / ˈfrʌntˌɛnd /

adjective

1. being or relating to the front part of something.

   The vehicle had significant front-end damage and a smashed windshield.

2. happening or (of costs) incurred earlier in a process or in a span of time.

   One of the real problems with solar energy is the front-end cost.

   The time you invest in front-end planning will pay off in the later stages of the project.

3. Computers. Also frontend being or relating to those parts of a computer program, website, system, network, etc., that the user can see or directly interact with.

   Changes in the system architecture allowed for a much simpler front-end interface.

   I’ve been teaching website design and front-end development for about six years.

4. being or relating to the part of an organization or process that operates in the foreground or in the public view.

   In my last job, I oversaw front-end operations and supervised up to 20 cashiers and baggers.

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front-end British  

adjective

1. (of money, costs, etc) required or incurred in advance of a project in order to get it under way

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Etymology

Origin of front end¹

First recorded in 1670–80

Origin of front-end²

First recorded in 1935–40, in reference to electronics

Example Sentences

By mid-2020, Peng “was no longer merely influencing the front end of procurements; she was requesting and managing a series of high-dollar Innive change orders herself,” the complaint states.

From Los Angeles Times • May 12, 2026

Like VIX, it is not as bullish as it could be: The term structure of the VIX futures rises in the front end of the curve but then flattens out.

From MarketWatch • May 8, 2026

Now, the complaints that he has currently are different to the complaints of Mercedes, Ferrari and McLaren, because we're at the front end of the grid.

From BBC • Apr. 17, 2026

These results show that a glass-based photonic front end can support advanced CV-QKD without the drawbacks seen in silicon platforms.

From Science Daily • Mar. 24, 2026

We leaned out off the front end of the boat.

From "Adrift" by Paul Griffin