global positioning system

British  

noun

1.  GPS.  a system of earth-orbiting satellites, transmitting signals continuously towards the earth, that enables the position of a receiving device on or near the earth's surface to be accurately estimated from the difference in arrival times of the signals

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Global Positioning System Scientific  

/ glō′bəl /

1. A system of satellites combined with receivers on the Earth that determines the latitude and longitude of any particular receiver through triangulation. The distance of the receiver to three of the satellites is ascertained by measuring the time-delay of a predetermined radio signal (called a pseudo-random code). Errors in timing can be corrected by checking the signals against the signal from a fourth satellite. Current systems can pinpoint the location of the receiver with an accuracy of around 5 m (16 ft). The system is used for navigation, surveying, and many other applications.

2. Compare loran

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global positioning system Cultural  

1. A U.S. military satellite system now available for public use that allows those with a GPS receiver to locate their position on the surface of the Earth to within a few feet. A constellation of twenty-four satellites orbits the Earth, each of which transmits a radio signal giving both location of the satellite and the time of the transmission. Triangulation of three separate signals is then used by the receiver to determine its position on the Earth's surface.

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Example Sentences

GPS—short for Global Positioning System—has long had dead spots, but its reliability has been further eroded by the emergence of cheap handheld devices that can drown out the satellite signals upon which it relies.

From The Wall Street Journal

The good old Global Positioning System—built by the U.S. during the space race and dependent on signals so weak it’s a miracle any device can detect them—is showing its age.

From The Wall Street Journal

Do you think GPS alternatives can ever be as accurate as the original Global Positioning System?

From The Wall Street Journal

The research was vital for creation of the Global Positioning System, or GPS, a priority for the U.S. military in the 1970s and 1980s.

From The Wall Street Journal

With the advent of the Global Positioning System, a signal could now be obtained from miles above the earth’s surface.

From The Wall Street Journal