processor

American  

[pros-es-er, proh-ses-] / ˈprɒs ɛs ər, ˈproʊ sɛs- /

Sometimes processer

noun

1. a person or thing that processes.

2. Computers.

   1. a controller, the key component of a computing device that contains the circuitry necessary to interpret and execute electrical signals fed into the device.

   2. a computer.

3. food processor.

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processor British  

/ ˈprəʊsɛsə /

noun

1. computing another name for central processing unit

2. a person or thing that carries out a process

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processor Scientific  

/ prŏs′ĕs′ər,prō′sĕs′- /

1. A part of a computer, such as the central processing unit, that performs calculations or other manipulations of data.

2. A program that translates another program into a form acceptable by the computer being used.

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Etymology

Origin of processor

First recorded in 1905–10; process + -or ²

Explanation

A processor is a person or machine that goes through certain procedures to achieve a particular result. A milk processor milks cows, stores the milk, pasteurizes it, and bottles it before you buy it a store. There are many different kinds of processors, but what they all have in common is going through a process, a series of specific steps, to accomplish something. The food processor in your kitchen quickly dices pounds of onions, a task that would take considerable work to complete by hand. A word processor does the same for writing, allowing you to easily edit text. Computer processors control and move vast amounts of data. The Latin root means "advance or progress."

Example Sentences

Credo said the deal will position the company to address the demand for both electrical and optical interconnects through a vertically integrated stack that includes its SerDes and digital signal processor technology.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 14, 2026

By moving the signal closer to the processor, the CPO approach improves power efficiency, increases bandwidth and lowers latency — all crucial to running powerful AI workloads.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 11, 2026

Rosenblatt Securities analyst John McPeake noted last week that Rigetti had shipped a 9-qubit Novera quantum processor to the University of Saskatchewan in March.

From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026

Private-sector job creation was steady in March, payroll processor ADP reported on Wednesday.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 1, 2026

While Uncle Vernon made furious telephone calls to the post office and the dairy trying to find someone to complain to, Aunt Petunia shredded the letters in her food processor.

From "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" by J.K. Rowling