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Showing results for "processing"
Synonyms

processing

American  
[pros-es-ing, proh-ses-ing] / ˈprɒs ɛs ɪŋ, ˈproʊ sɛs ɪŋ /

noun

  • processings
    plural
  1. the act of treating or preparing something by a particular series of actions, as in manufacturing.

    In the processing of taconite, the ore is ground to a fine powder and the iron separated out with strong magnets.

  2. the conversion of an agricultural commodity into marketable form by a particular series of steps.

    Regular inspections should take place at every stage of the processing of meat.

  3. the act of handling records, papers, etc., systematically by organizing them, annotating or making decisions about them, following up with appropriate action, etc..

    To avoid delay in the processing of applications, please make sure the information you submit is complete and accurate.

  4. the act of mentally or emotionally absorbing and making sense of what one has experienced or perceived.

    The second phase of the treatment involves the emotional processing of the traumatic events in a safe and supportive environment.

    The thalamus is closely integrated with the cerebral cortex and is responsible for the initial processing of all sensory information except smell.

  5. Computers. the act of carrying out operations on data or programs.

    By using this website, you consent to the processing of data about you in the manner and for the purposes set out above.

  6. the act of requiring someone to answer questionnaires, perform various tasks, undergo physical or aptitude examinations, etc., before the beginning or termination of a period of service.

    The Navy began the initial processing of a new batch of recruits in January.


Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of processing

First recorded in 1870–75; 1945–50 processing for def. 5; process ( def. ) + -ing 1 ( def. )

Explanation

The noun processing means a complex treatment or process — for example, the processing that coffee beans go through before becoming a hot drink. Processing is often used to talk about the procedures that are used on food or other products before people buy or consume them. The processing of milk involves heating it to kill bacteria, cooling it, and separating the cream. Wool processing is also complicated, including shearing a sheep, cleaning the fleece, washing it, and carding or combing it. The Latin root of processing is processus, "a going forward or advance."

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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.

See Examples For:

The largest of these compliance schemes is not-for-profit Ecogenesys, which works with about 85 councils in the UK, and is supporting the development of new UK fridge processing infrastructure.

From BBC Aug. 29, 2026

Kevin Cook, a senior stock strategist at Zacks Investment Research, said Nvidia’s aim to make its graphics processing units an investable asset class offers a case for why it delivered such strong revenue guidance.

From MarketWatch Aug. 28, 2026

"Instead of bypassing retinal processing, we aimed to reactivate it right at the same level of the retinal circuit as the lost photoreceptor cells."

From Science Daily Aug. 28, 2026

They then spent several months carefully processing and analyzing the observations.

From Science Daily Aug. 27, 2026

In a 2006 study, Tallal et al. suggest relationships between musical training, auditory processing, language, and literary skills.

From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin

Because of the extraordinary diversity and secrecy of the projects submitted to The Brain' processings, each apperception center was completely insulated against its neighbors.

From The Brain by Alexander Blade

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