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
China is currently dominating the open-source AI space, according to Andreessen Horowitz’s Anjney Midha.
—Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 27 Oct. 2025
According to MT_Anderson, an open-source intelligence analyst on X, the remaining destroyers were spread across the Mediterranean, citing satellite imagery.
—Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025
How the missile reportedly works According to open-source assessments and US intelligence reports, the Burevestnik uses a conventional booster to reach cruising altitude before switching to nuclear propulsion.
—Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 27 Oct. 2025
The open-source, anti-hierarchical structure came partially out of necessity.
—James Folta, Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for open-source
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Beatrice Nolan, Fortune, 27 Oct. 2025
According to MT_Anderson, an open-source intelligence analyst on X, the remaining destroyers were spread across the Mediterranean, citing satellite imagery.
—Ryan Chan, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025
How the missile reportedly works According to open-source assessments and US intelligence reports, the Burevestnik uses a conventional booster to reach cruising altitude before switching to nuclear propulsion.
—Kapil Kajal, Interesting Engineering, 27 Oct. 2025
The open-source, anti-hierarchical structure came partially out of necessity.
—James Folta, Literary Hub, 23 Oct. 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 30 Oct. 2025.
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