general-purpose

adjective

gen·​er·​al-pur·​pose ˈjen-rəl-ˈpər-pəs How to pronounce general-purpose (audio)
ˈje-nə-
: suitable to be used for two or more basic purposes

Examples of general-purpose in a Sentence

a general-purpose glue for routine household repairs
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Choose a general-purpose, balanced liquid fertilizer and apply it approximately once a week when watering, diluting it in a watering can. 3. Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 Aug. 2025 While others in the field are exploring niche optimizations, Positron is staking a claim to general-purpose inference acceleration—solving for cost and compatibility at scale. Jaime Catmull, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025 In addition, leading experts and Turing Award winners from the West and China share concerns that advanced general-purpose AI systems may come to operate outside of human control, posing catastrophic and existential risks. Brian Tse, Time, 13 Aug. 2025 For both general-purpose and creative flash photography, the X100VI wins out easily. PC Magazine, 11 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for general-purpose

Word History

First Known Use

1894, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of general-purpose was in 1894

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Cite this Entry

“General-purpose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/general-purpose. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.

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