: a navigational system using satellite signals to fix the location of a radio receiver on or above the earth's surface
also : the radio receiver so used

GPS

2 of 2

abbreviation

gallons per second

Examples of GPS in a Sentence

Noun The car comes with GPS.
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.
Noun
All titanium Apple Watches automatically come with GPS plus cellular, and have a sapphire crystal covering (the aluminum models use a toughened glass) — link here. David Phelan, Forbes.com, 18 June 2025 May 30: SpaceX Falcon 9 on the GPS III-7 mission from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s Space Launch Complex 40 at 1:37 p.m. Richard Tribou, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 June 2025 One example is a crystal that goes in our GNSS chip or GPS chip. Lisa Eadicicco, CNN Money, 17 June 2025 This meticulous positioning is achieved autonomously through GPS navigation, star trackers, lasers and radio links. Marcia Dunn, Los Angeles Times, 16 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for GPS

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Global Positioning System

First Known Use

Noun

1974, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of GPS was in 1974

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“GPS.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/GPS. Accessed 24 Jun. 2025.

Kids Definition

GPS

noun
ˌjē-ˌpē-ˈes
: a navigation system that uses satellite signals to find the location of a radio receiver on or above the earth's surface
also : a radio receiver used in a GPS system
Etymology

Noun

Global Positioning System

More from Merriam-Webster on GPS

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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