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.

—Business Week

—abbreviation API

Examples of application programming interface in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

As part of that agreement, Microsoft agreed to share Windows application programming interfaces (APIs) with third parties. —Todd Spangler, Variety, 17 Apr. 2025

The models are available to developers through OpenAI’s application programming interface (API). —Will Knight, Wired News, 14 Apr. 2025

Modern application programming interface management is essential for maintaining data security because APIs play a crucial role in securing the engineering lifecycle. —Adrian Bridgwater, Forbes, 22 Mar. 2025

That case resulted in a 2001 court ruling that found Microsoft had violated antitrust laws and led to a settlement imposing restrictions on its business practices, including requiring the company to share its application programming interfaces with third-party companies. —Christine Clarridge, Axios, 3 Apr. 2025

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