CPU

abbreviation or noun

ˌsē-(ˌ)pē-ˈyü 

variants or less commonly cpu

plural CPUs also cpus

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

The speed at which the central processing unit (CPU) runs, measured in megahertz, is a good indicator of a computer's power …

—Brad Hill

These [gaming] consoles require operating systems and CPUs that are different from desktop computers.

—finance.yahoo.com

—often used before another noun

CPU speed/performance

called also central processing unit, processor

Examples of CPU in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Underneath that big, beautiful screen, the ThinkPad E16 runs on an AMD Ryzen 7 series CPU, which can easily handle everyday multitasking, office work, and even some light gaming sessions when all the work is said and done. — Kelsey Fogarty, PC Magazine, 20 Oct. 2026

The big selling point of RTX Spark is the combination of Arm CPU, Blackwell GPU, and unified memory to enable powerful AI models to run on a laptop, so the experience of setting up an AI agent needs to be quick and easy. — Tom Warren, The Verge, 15 Oct. 2026

The rise of personal agents like Meta's Muse and startup Instinct caused analysts to hike their 2030 targets for the size of the central processing unit (CPU) market, with AMD as the primary beneficiary. — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 6 Oct. 2026

Researchers typically devise decoding algorithms that run either on CPU’s, Graphics Processing Units (GPUs), or a field-programmable gate array to analyze these syndromes and then apply a correction to the computation. — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 23 Sep. 2026

Word History

Etymology

central processing unit

First Known Use

1962, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

cpu

noun

ˌsē-ˌpē-ˈyü 

often capitalized C&P&U

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

Etymology

central processing unit