open-source

adjective

ˈō-pən-ˈsȯrs 

1

a

of software : having the source code freely available for possible modification and redistribution

an open-source operating system

b

: of, relating to, or promoting open-source software

the open-source movement/community

Instead, they opted for the open-source model, in which computer code is openly shared, allowing programmers to modify, improve and fix the software.

—Steve Lohr

2

a

: publicly available for use by the community at large

open-source images

The team uses open-source materials such as obituaries in local newspapers and cemetery visits for its count.

—Brendan Hoffman

b

: relating to or utilizing information that is publicly available

an open-source analysis

Since the advent of the internet, social media and smartphones, open-source intelligence has undergone a revolution as people willingly and publicly post vast amounts of information online. Actors outside of the traditional intelligence community have begun to take notice.

—Nick Waters

Examples of open-source in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Future model releases won’t automatically be open-source. —Lily Mae Lazarus, Fortune, 15 June 2026

The company jumped into AI with its Llama family of models, offering an open-source approach that allowed developers to freely tinker, while the other big model makers charged for access. —Jonathan Vanian,julia Boorstin, CNBC, 14 June 2026

Analysts have noted that companies and governments worldwide now have more incentive to build their own models or turn to Chinese open-source alternatives. —Joe Toscano, Forbes.com, 13 June 2026

Indeed, OpenAI is mulling slashing prices, the Journal reported, while some customers are only using highly capable models for complex tasks, relying on cheaper open-source ones for most functions, saving up to 95% on outlays. —Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 12 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1956, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for open-source

• counterforce
• intercourse
• nonrecourse
• reinforce
• watercourse
• bourse
• coarse
• course
• force
• gorse
• hoarse
• horse