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

Unlike open-source Twitch alternative Owncast, making a Guilded server requires no hard-core technical or hosting knowledge. —PCMAG, 19 July 2024

Wiener has altered the bill in response to industry feedback and criticism, including by stipulating that open-source developers aren’t responsible for safety problems that emerge from third parties changing their tech. —Nitasha Tiku, Washington Post, 19 July 2024

The coalition plans to disseminate open-source methodologies, frameworks and tools to help companies that are looking for ways to securely implement AI into their workflows. —Sam Sabin, Axios, 18 July 2024

The bitcoin protocol is a decentralized, open-source network and no single entity can gain control over it. —Ryan Browne, CNBC, 16 July 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1957, in the meaning defined at sense 2