: a CD containing computer data that cannot be altered

Examples of CD-ROM in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Duo for both systems added a CD-ROM drive to the setup and allowed games with more audio and graphics to be pumped through the system. Ollie Barder, Forbes.com, 14 June 2025 Instead, developers reverse-engineered the game, including using CD-ROM hacking. Jacob Feldman, Sportico.com, 12 June 2025 On stage, Tenenbaum embodies True, the album’s main character, who exists in a sci-fi world where people get CD-ROMs slid into their foreheads to initiate a process of self-optimization. Abigail Lee, Variety, 13 May 2025 The mid-budget film was a significant box office success, inspiring a spinoff series, a more recent reboot series, a Broadway musical, a series of YA books, and, best of all, a CD-ROM video game. Jordan Hoffman, EW.com, 8 May 2025 Remember the ’90s, when every incoming email triggered its own cheery alert and mailboxes overflowed with free CD-ROMs from AOL? Thomas H. Ruggie, Forbes.com, 25 Apr. 2025 For those unaware, Lunar: The Silver Star, the first game in the series, debuted on the Sega CD peripheral for Sega Genesis back in 1992 (or 1993 in North America) featuring high-quality CD-ROM sound, full motion anime-style video cutscenes, and lots of voice acting. David Jagneaux, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025 But years before that, with the 1998 launch of the original Half-Life, Valve cofounder and then-CMO Monica Harrington said she was inspired to take DRM more seriously by her nephew's reaction to the purchase of a new CD-ROM burner. Ars Technica, 24 Mar. 2025 In 1989, the advent of CD-ROMs further revolutionized computing by introducing multimedia experiences. Tim Bajarin, Forbes, 6 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

compact disc read-only memory

First Known Use

1983, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of CD-ROM was in 1983

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“CD-ROM.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/CD-ROM. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

CD-ROM

noun
ˌsē-ˌdē-ˈräm
: a CD containing computer data that cannot be altered
Etymology

compact disc read-only memory

More from Merriam-Webster on CD-ROM

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