cpu

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noun, often capitalized C&P&U \ ˌsē-(ˌ)pē-ˈyü \

Definition of cpu

:the component of a computer system that performs the basic operations (such as processing data) of the system, that exchanges data with the system's memory or peripherals, and that manages the system's other components — called also processor

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Recent Examples of cpu from the Web

Besides unveiling the new chip, Anderson also showed several comparison benchmarks that put the top-end 16-core Ryzen Threadripper 1950X running about 55 percent to 15 percent faster than Intel’s current top-end Core i9-7900X CPU.

— gordon mah ung, PCWorld, "The cheapest Ryzen Threadripper yet: AMD's new Threadripper 1900X will cost $549," 30 July 2017
The PC benchmarking site of Passmark Software reports tests involving AMD CPUs accounted for almost 26% of all x86-compatible submissions in the latest quarter, up from under 21% in the prior quarter and under 18% in the same quarter a year ago.

— aaron pressman, Fortune, "Wall Street Firms Target Rich Millennials With Non-Traditional Summer Classes," 6 July 2017
On that note, Intel has introduced a new feature that ensures M.2 storage is connected directly to the CPU.

— mark walton, Ars Technica, "Intel Core i9-7900X review: The fastest chip in the world, but too darn expensive," 4 July 2017
The mannequin was dressed in a deep purple dress with accessories made from computer parts, including a CPU necklace and a USB cable.

— domenica bongiovanni, Indianapolis Star, "Think you know Pokémon? These 5 people might put your knowledge to shame," 1 July 2017
The CPU lives in a sturdy base, from which a single post rises to support the screen.

— wired staff, WIRED, "June’s Greatest Gear, From Apple’s New iPad to Coding Robots," 30 June 2017
The chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices, Intel's only real competitor for the CPUs that run personal computers, ran into a wall over the past decade as it got distracted trying to crack the mobile market.

— aaron pressman, Fortune, "Data Sheet—Wednesday, June 28, 2017," 28 June 2017
The company’s already made a splash this year with its Ryzen and Ryzen Threadripper CPUs.

— gordon mah ung, PCWorld, "Hands-on: AMD's Radeon Vega Frontier Edition vs Nvidia Titan Xp," 26 June 2017
The Aero 15 gives you a 2.8GHz seventh generation Core i7 CPU, 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, and an Nvidia GeForce GTX 1060 graphics card.

— christopher null, WIRED, "Review: Gigabyte Aero 15," 10 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cpu.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of cpu

central processing unit

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First Known Use: 1962

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CPU Defined for Kids

cpu

play

noun, often capitalized C&P&U \ ˌsē-ˌpē-ˈyü \

Definition of cpu for Students

:the part of a computer that does most of the processing of data

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Spanish Central: Translation of cpu Nglish: Translation of cpu for Spanish speakers

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