app

1 of 2

noun

ˈap 

1

: application sense 3

a word processing app

especially : an application designed for a mobile device (such as a smartphone)

Health-insurance companies and government officials alike are drawn to the ability of smartphone apps to reach tough-to-access patients, to effect long-term lifestyle changes, and to do it all at a very low cost.

—Marcellus Hall

see also killer app

2

informal : appetizer

… the hidden video monitors that tell the cooks when the V.I.P.'s have finished their apps …

—Thomas McNamee

app

2 of 2

abbreviation

1

apparatus

2

appendix

3

appliance

Examples of app in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

My neighborhood Nextdoor app, which covers a wide swath in DeKalb County and surrounding areas, has been lighting up in recent weeks with reports of coyotes spotted in backyards, city streets and even schoolyards. — Charles Seabrook, AJC.com, 16 Aug. 2026

Mistruths, false claims, scams, and other deceptive efforts are tricking people into thinking that a watermark removal app will do wonders, whereas the reality is that the results are at best half-mixed or aimed to cause damage. — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2026

The announcement is the latest collaboration between Disney and Webtoon, which has already brought over 20 fan-favorite comics to Webtoon’s vertical-scroll format, available in a dedicated Disney section of the English-language Webtoon app. — Todd Spangler, Variety, 15 Aug. 2026

The Air Jordan 4 Retro OG Jackie Robinson will be released April 15, which is celebrated as Jackie Robinson Day, from Nike’s Snkrs app and select Jordan Brand retailers for $230. — Riley Jones, Footwear News, 15 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1981, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing app

• killer app

Rhymes for app

• cap
• chap
• clap
• crap
• flap
• frap
• gap
• hap
• lap
• nap
• nappe
• pap

Kids Definition

app

noun

ˈap

1

: application sense 6

2

informal : appetizer

Medical Definition

app

1 of 2 abbreviation

appendix

APP

2 of 2 abbreviation

amyloid precursor protein

Legal Definition

App

abbreviation

Appeals