processor

The word “processor” means the main chip in a computer that carries out instructions; a CPU. In plain terms, the part of a computer (or machine) that does the actual processing work.

“Processor” is pronounced PROH-seh-suh (/ˈpɹɑˌsɛsɚ/ in IPA).

Here is “processor” used in a sentence: “The new laptop has a faster processor than the old one.”

“Processor” is a noun.

The word “processor” dates back to around 1909. From process + the agent suffix -or, recorded in this sense since around 1909.

“Processor” is a fairly common word in modern English.

“Processor” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the main chip in a computer that carries out instructions; a CPU.

In everyday computing the terms often mean the same thing: the CPU (central processing unit) is the main processor chip that carries out a computer's instructions. "Processor" is the wider word, since it can also refer to other specialised chips, such as a graphics processor.

A microprocessor is a processor whose circuitry is built onto a single integrated circuit or chip. In modern usage the two terms overlap, because virtually every computer processor today is a microprocessor.

A computer processor is the main chip that carries out instructions, while a food processor is a kitchen machine. Both share the underlying idea of a device that "processes" something, whether data or ingredients.

"Processor" can also mean any machine or person that processes something. Examples include a food processor in a kitchen, a word processor for typing, or a claims processor who handles paperwork.