application programming interface

noun

variants or less commonly application program interface

computing

: a set of rules that allows programmers to develop software for a particular operating system without having to be completely familiar with that operating system

To fix this problem, trustbusters have installed a provision forcing Microsoft to disclose more information about its so-called application programming interfaces, or APIs.

—Businessweek

—abbreviation API

Examples of application programming interface in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

By sending millions of queries through application programming interfaces, attackers can collect large datasets. —Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 23 Apr. 2026

The startup released its first product, known as Tinker, in October, which is an application programming interface that allows researchers and developers to fine-tune AI models. —Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 10 Mar. 2026

But the state now publishes legislative data through a public application programming interface — essentially the tool that lets apps talk to each other. —Matt Wing, New York Daily News, 2 Mar. 2026

By viewing the website's source code, Zveare noticed that messages sent through the form passed through Bluspark's servers using an application programming interface, or API. —Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 31 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1968, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for application programming interface

• abase
• airspace
• apace
• backspace
• biface
• birthplace
• blackface
• boldface
• bookcase
• braincase
• briefcase
• carcase