GPU

abbreviation or noun

ˌjē-(ˌ)pē-ˈyü 

variants or less commonly gpu

plural GPUs also gpus

: a specialized CPU designed to efficiently perform calculations for generating computer graphics

A GPU can deliver hundreds of billions of operations per second—some GPUs more than a teraflop, or a trillion operations per second—while requiring only slightly more electrical power and cooling than a CPU.

—Andrea Di Blas et al.

Examples of GPU in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Hangang’s arrival has been delayed by surges in GPU prices during the recent artificial intelligence (AI) boom. — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 2 Nov. 2026

The key challenge is serving data to the GPU at the right time and dynamically optimizing across tiers as a unified system. — Xin Guo, Forbes.com, 30 Oct. 2026

The base-level M5 Pro comprises a 15-core CPU (five super cores and 10 performance cores) and a 16-core GPU. — Joe Osborne, PC Magazine, 29 Oct. 2026

Interestingly, more than 100 Chinese technology companies were exhibiting, alongside a dedicated pavilion showcasing 23 Indian firms specializing in cloud, data center, and GPU infrastructure. — Melissa Hancock, Fortune, 28 Oct. 2026

Word History

Etymology

graphics processing unit

First Known Use

1973, in the meaning defined above