laptop

1 of 2

adjective

lap·​top ˈlap-ˌtäp How to pronounce laptop (audio)
: of a size and design that makes operation and use on one's lap convenient compare desktop

laptop

2 of 2

noun

: a portable microcomputer having its main components (such as processor, keyboard, and display screen) integrated into a single unit capable of battery-powered operation

Examples of laptop in a Sentence

Noun He uses a laptop for business when he travels.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
This set features a padded laptop sleeve that fits laptops up to 15 inches, as well as a smaller padded sleeve for tablets and file folders. Maggie Slepian, Travel + Leisure, 5 Jan. 2024 The main compartment is unstructured to maximize packing space but two zippered front pockets offer a padded laptop sleeve and an organizer panel for your pens and credit cards respectively. Jessica MacDonald, Travel + Leisure, 27 Nov. 2023 At the company’s October 2023 Snapdragon Summit, Qualcomm announced the Snapdragon X Elite, a system-on-a-chip (SoC) with a custom Arm architecture designed specifically for laptop PCs. IEEE Spectrum, 9 Nov. 2023 The nylon, water-resistant luggage also has a padded laptop sleeve and plenty of additional interior and exterior pockets to keep your valuables organized. Lauren Fischer, Travel + Leisure, 8 Aug. 2023 This one from Herschel has a number of quality features: a padded felt laptop sleeve inside, as well as a triple- lined interior that will offer durability from the elements. Alida Nugent, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 Sep. 2023 Shein already allows third-party retailers to list items on its site ranging from laptop sleeves for $7.30 to bedroom dressers for $42.99. Mia Sato, The Verge, 24 Aug. 2023 Its compartments include a padded laptop sleeve and zippered water bottle holder, plus there are two roomy, zippered front pockets and one even has a key leash inside. Kaitlyn McInnis, Travel + Leisure, 22 Aug. 2023 Since then, Raskin said in Friday’s message, Comer has refused to give his colleagues a copy of Hunter Biden’s laptop hard drive, despite continuously citing information from it in media appearances. Tori Otten, The New Republic, 28 July 2023
Noun
The laptop is listed for the reasonable price of $699. Boone Ashworth, WIRED, 16 Mar. 2024 After a lot of deliberating, a new laptop landed on my doorstep last week. Chris Velazco, Washington Post, 15 Mar. 2024 The batteries in electrified cars are usually similar to the batteries in a phone or laptop. Logan Carter / Jalopnik, Quartz, 13 Mar. 2024 And yet, Kumaran now spends several nights a week (and even some days, working remotely from her laptop) at a sports bar. Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner, Vogue, 12 Mar. 2024 The comfy and impressively spacious backpack features one large, primary pocket for storing your essentials, while a padded laptop pocket makes commuting with electronics (and going through TSA security) safer and easier than ever. Merrell Readman, Travel + Leisure, 9 Mar. 2024 He was followed to a nearby creek, where many of the missing items, including two laptops and a set of keys, were found. Nollyanne Delacruz, The Mercury News, 8 Mar. 2024 In light of the lack of reliable internet across the Navajo Nation, the library also checks out Wi-Fi hotspots and laptops, thanks to a grant from the Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records. The Arizona Republic, 8 Mar. 2024 Team principals and engineers were lined up on stools in their little cubbyholes crowding around laptops. Peter Rubin, Longreads, 7 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'laptop.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1984, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1984, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of laptop was in 1984

Dictionary Entries Near laptop

Cite this Entry

“Laptop.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/laptop. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

laptop

1 of 2 adjective
lap·​top -ˌtäp How to pronounce laptop (audio)
: of a size and design that makes use on one's lap convenient

laptop

2 of 2 noun
: a portable computer that is small enough to use on one's lap, has its main components (as keyboard and display screen) combined in one unit, and can run on battery power

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