central processing unit

noun

plural central processing units

: the component of a computer system that performs the system's basic operations (such as processing data), that exchanges data with the system's memory or peripherals, and that manages the system's other components : cpu

Examples of central processing unit in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The central processing unit, or CPU, was once the primary workhorse of a computer server before Nvidia's graphics processing units took center stage with the launch of ChatGPT and the start of the generative AI era. — Kif Leswing,katie Tarasov, CNBC, 6 Oct. 2026

IonQ, a leading provider of quantum computing solutions globally, reached a major milestone after successfully demonstrating quantum error correction using a real-time decoder that can run on a single central processing unit (CPU). — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 23 Sep. 2026

Speed Tablets have a central processing unit that controls its speed. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 27 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1956, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for central processing unit

• lunate
• multiunit
• subunit

Kids Definition

central processing unit

noun

: CPU