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

Our review model came with an Intel Core Ultra 9 290 HX Plus CPU, an Nvidia GeForce RTX 5090 Laptop GPU, 32GB of RAM, and a 1TB SSD. — Marshall Honorof, PC Magazine, 27 Oct. 2026

There’s only one M6 chip option for the MacBook Pro—the one with the 12-core GPU and CPU. — Samuel Axon, ArsTechnica, 27 Oct. 2026

The bigger driver of near-term financials, though, is its central processing unit (CPU) business for data centers, driven by the rise of agentic AI . — Kevin Stankiewicz,zev Fima, CNBC, 25 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

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