mainframe
Americannoun
noun
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a high-speed general-purpose computer, usually with a large storage capacity
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( as modifier )
mainframe systems
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the central processing unit of a computer
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A large, often powerful computer, usually dedicated to lengthy, complex calculations or set up for use by many people simultaneously.
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Compare personal computer
Etymology
Origin of mainframe
Compare meaning
How does mainframe compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Vocabulary lists containing mainframe
Computer Science and Technology - Middle School
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Computer Science and Technology - High School
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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.
“It was a shot to the heart and the chest and the mainframe with Luka,” James told reporters.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 9, 2026
The analyst said investors might dispute his call, given concern that Anthropic’s Claude Code tool will disrupt IBM’s mainframe business.
From Barron's • Feb. 25, 2026
That makes it unlikely that customers will move away from using its mainframes toward decentralized platforms—a potential shift known as mainframe disintermediation—over the next several years.
From Barron's • Feb. 25, 2026
“The idea of shifting off of mainframe is not a new concept,” he said in a note to clients.
From MarketWatch • Feb. 24, 2026
She went to her computer and wrote some code, walked a set of punch cards to the mainframe in another building, and waited while it slugged through the calculations.
From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone
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.
