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 positioning the Wanda series as a showcase of isolated capabilities, UniX AI is framing the robots as general-purpose service systems that can learn workflows, adapt to new routines, and operate continuously across different settings. —Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 2 Jan. 2026

The company has argued that general-purpose AI developed by companies like OpenAI and Anthropic is unable to meet the requirements of healthcare. —Michael Considine, CNBC, 30 Dec. 2025

Diffusion theory shows that leading sectors emerge when general-purpose technologies are adopted across organizations and supported by institutions. —Shankar Maruwada, Fortune, 30 Dec. 2025

While large, general-purpose models dominate headlines, smaller and more specialized models are often better suited to specific tasks. —Thomas Şerban Von Davier, The Conversation, 29 Dec. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1894, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for general-purpose

• multipurpose
• purpose