general-purpose

adjective

gen·​er·​al-pur·​pose ˈjen-rəl-ˈpər-pəs 

ˈje-nə-

: suitable to be used for two or more basic purposes

Synonyms of general-purpose

• unlimited
• general
• unrestricted

Examples of general-purpose in a Sentence

a general-purpose glue for routine household repairs

Recent Examples on the Web

Rather than functioning as a general-purpose chatbot, OpenEvidence is intended to help medical professionals locate and examine information from clinical research. — Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026

This result does not imply that the era of general-purpose quantum computing has arrived. — Chuck Brooks, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026

Engineers built the first general-purpose electronic computers in the 1940s. — Ben Brubaker, Quanta Magazine, 28 Aug. 2026

In highly regulated, high-stakes areas, customers need more than a general-purpose AI model. — Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 26 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1894, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for general-purpose

• multipurpose
• purpose