open-source
adjective
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
Steve Lohr2
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
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
Nick WatersExamples of open-source in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Phase three is now underway with China’s open-source approach to AI.
—Rich Karlgaard, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
In addition to open-source software, X Square Robot on Monday also launched its Quanta X2 robot, which the startup said can attach mop heads for 360-degree cleaning, and comes with hands capable of perceiving subtle pressure changes in a step toward more human-like functionality.
—Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 8 Sep. 2025
Nevertheless, the research shows how open-source large language models could unleash new forms of disturbing and powerful ransomware attacks.
—PC Magazine, 4 Sep. 2025
The ecological assessment tool estimates a product’s impact—based on criteria like weight and composition—developed as an open-source tool within the framework of the various French constitutional digital incubators and accelerators.
—Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 3 Sep. 2025
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Rich Karlgaard, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
In addition to open-source software, X Square Robot on Monday also launched its Quanta X2 robot, which the startup said can attach mop heads for 360-degree cleaning, and comes with hands capable of perceiving subtle pressure changes in a step toward more human-like functionality.
—Evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 8 Sep. 2025
Nevertheless, the research shows how open-source large language models could unleash new forms of disturbing and powerful ransomware attacks.
—PC Magazine, 4 Sep. 2025
The ecological assessment tool estimates a product’s impact—based on criteria like weight and composition—developed as an open-source tool within the framework of the various French constitutional digital incubators and accelerators.
—Alexandra Harrell, Sourcing Journal, 3 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for open-source
Cite this Entry
“Open-source.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/open-source. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.
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