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

There, rumors of a Razer Lake-AX chip line could feature a higher CPU core count, more cache, and a large integrated GPU, potentially offering a more midrange gaming experience without the need for a dedicated GPU. —Jon Martindale, PC Magazine, 14 Apr. 2026

Amkor specializes in taking several semiconductor components and packaging them into a single, large chip such as a graphics processing unit (GPU). —Liz Napolitano, CNBC, 11 Apr. 2026

That framing also helps elevate the Nemotron work inside Nvidia, where teams are competing for scarce GPU resources. —Sharon Goldman, Fortune, 9 Apr. 2026

The new partnership will help strengthen the AiOnX platform with GPU-as-a-Service and AI-as-a-Service capabilities across Europe. —Jason Phillips, USA Today, 1 Apr. 2026

Word History

Etymology

graphics processing unit

First Known Use

1973, in the meaning defined above