program

noun pro·gram \ ˈprō-ˌgram , -grəm \

|Updated on: 23 Jun 2018

Definition of program

[Late Latin programma, from Greek]

: a public notice

2 a : a brief usually printed outline of the order to be followed, of the features to be presented, and the persons participating (as in a public performance)

b : the performance of a program; especially : a performance broadcast on radio or television

3 : a plan or system under which action may be taken toward a goal

4 : curriculum

5 : prospectus, syllabus

6 a : a sequence of coded instructions that can be inserted into a mechanism (such as a computer)

b dated : a complete plan for solving a problem by the use of a mechanism (such as a computer) that includes both instructions to be inserted into the mechanism and plans for human activities such as interpreting output

c : a sequence of coded instructions (such as genes or behavioral responses) that is part of an organism

See program defined for English-language learners

See program defined for kids

Examples of program in a Sentence

a program of regular dental checkups
the program will tell us the scheduled order of musical numbers

Recent Examples of program from the Web

Arrieta was part of the first wave of top-level talent that TCU coach Jim Schlossnagle recruited, which eventually led to the program's massive turn around.

— stefan stevenson, star-telegram, "No. 4 in the TCU Power Index: Jake Arrieta, one of game's dominant starters," 19 June 2018
Again, Murray State or NKU probably gets in as the fourth program.

— jeff greer, The Courier-Journal, "A Kentucky college basketball tournament would be great. Let's plan it," 19 June 2018
Back then, Grace, who was jobless and recently widowed, had received 20 cows through the program.

— refinery29.com, "OITNB's Uzo Aduba Named First-Ever Heifer International Ambassador To Africa," 19 June 2018
The federal Apprenticeship USA program will include Florida and 35 other states.

— bill zimmerman, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Apprenticeship plans expand as Florida, federal programs near," 19 June 2018
World Refugee Day: The nonprofit 1951 Coffee hosts an event with art, activities and refreshments provided by people who have come to the U.S. through the refugee resettlement program.

— SFChronicle.com, "Bay Area political events: Immigration rally, World Refugee Day," 19 June 2018
The new version of the program would start in 2020.

— sophia bollag, The Christian Science Monitor, "To encourage diversity in Hollywood, a proposed tax credit," 19 June 2018
This framing—that the program endangered the America’s moral identity—became a major part of the coverage at the time, and more recently.

— alexis c. madrigal, The Atlantic, "The Making of a Moral Crisis," 19 June 2018
Walk With Ease Walk 30 minutes a day, three times per week for six weeks as part of this program.

— Sun-Sentinel.com, "Plantation and Sunrise area events, June 20-30," 18 June 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'program.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of program

French programme agenda, public notice, from Greek programma, from prographein to write before, from pro- before + graphein to write — more at carve

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1633

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year

program Synonyms

Synonyms

arrangement, blueprint, design, game, game plan, ground plan, master plan, plan, project, scheme, strategy, system;

Related Words

collusion, conspiracy, plot;

contrivance, device, gambit, maneuver, ruse, stratagem, subterfuge, trick;

counterplan, counterstrategy;

means, tactic, technique, way;

procedure, protocol;

conception, idea, projet, proposal, specific(s), specification(s);

aim, intent, intention, purpose;

diagram, formula, layout, map, pattern, platform, policy, recipe, setup;

Other Broadcasting Terms

continuity, dissolve, fade, feed, remote, residual, spike, wipe

program

verb pro·gram \ ˈprō-ˌgram , -grəm \

variants: or less commonly programme

Definition of program

programmed or programed; programming or programing

transitive verb

1 a : to arrange or furnish a program of or for : bill

b : to enter in a program

2 : to work out a sequence of operations to be performed by (a mechanism, such as a computer) : to provide with a program

3 a : to insert a program for (a particular action) into or as if into a mechanism (such as a computer)

b : to control by or as if by a program

c (1) : to code in an organism's program

(2) : to provide with a biological program

cells programmed to synthesize hemoglobin

4 : to predetermine the thinking, behavior, or operations of as if by computer programming

children are programmed into violence
—Lisa A. Richette

—

programmability

play \(ˌ)prō-ˌgra-mə-ˈbi-lə-tē\ noun

—

programmable

play \ˈprō-ˌgra-mə-bəl\ adjective or noun

See program defined for English-language learners

Examples of program in a Sentence

He programmed the computer to calculate his monthly expenses and earnings.
She is learning how to program in school.
Can you help me program my cell phone?

Recent Examples of program from the Web

Roland said people should program that hotline number into their phones in case any incident occurs.

— kelsey mo, azcentral, "Top 5 calls to Poison Control and what the hotline advises you should do," 18 June 2018
When the researchers programmed in supermassive black holes at the centers of galaxies, the black holes either turned those galaxies into donuts or drifted out from galactic centers like monsters on the prowl.

— natalie wolchover, WIRED, "The Universe Is Not a Simulation, but We Can Now Simulate It," 16 June 2018
In it, a projector shows holographic images of a woman that were not programmed into it, to the surprise of the scientists involved.

— courtney columbus, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Theater club at NASA center gives scientists creative outlet," 11 June 2018
Ian MacNicol / Getty Amazon has made an important step into the TV sports business by buying exclusive rights to some of the most valuable TV sports programming in the world.

— peter kafka, Recode, "Amazon’s Premier League deal shows it’s serious about TV sports. But the TV guys are even more serious, for now.," 7 June 2018
While in the Cradle, Ford tells Bernard that Dolores helped to program him in Arnold's image.

— mehera bonner, Harper's BAZAAR, "Westworld Just Debuted It's Most Confusing and Mind-Blowing Episode Yet," 4 June 2018
In contrast, when Doudna, Charpentier, and their colleagues showed that Cas9 could be programmed to cut DNA, their paper sped through the review process at Science and was published online in late June 2012.

— sharon begley, STAT, "Who gets credit for CRISPR? Prestigious award singles out three, and leaves out a notable scientist," 31 May 2018
But an employee accidentally sent out the generic alert that had been programmed as the default message in the state's cell phone alert system, Grogan said.

— betsy hammond, OregonLive.com, "Oregon safety agency alarmed residents with vague, ominous emergency alert," 30 May 2018
The building is designed to take advantage of natural light, and the windows will be programmed to automatically open when appropriate to take advantage of the moderate coastal climate.

— phil diehl, sandiegouniontribune.com, "After almost 60 years, a new civic center for Del Mar," 28 May 2018

First Known Use of program

1846

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

NEW! Time Traveler

Other Computer-Related Terms

adware, flash, kludge, phishing, recursive, router

PROGRAM Defined for English Language Learners

program

noun

Definition of program for English Language Learners

: a plan of things that are done in order to achieve a specific result
: a set of instructions that tell a computer what to do
: a thin book or a piece of paper that gives information about a concert, play, sports game, etc.

program

verb

Definition of program for English Language Learners

: to give (a computer) a set of instructions to perform a particular action : to create a program for (a computer)
: to give (a machine) a set of instructions to perform a particular action
: to make (a person or animal) behave or think in a particular way