source code

noun

: a computer program in its original programming language (such as FORTRAN or C) before translation into object code usually by a compiler

Examples of source code in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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But the breach demonstrates that sophisticated AI systems can discover and exploit novel attack paths in real-world systems without access to their underlying source code, OpenAI acknowledged. Ethan Baron, Mercury News, 23 July 2026 The fundamental requirement was that the source code – the basic instructions – for a program should be made available. Jeffrey Young, The Conversation, 23 July 2026 The incident also demonstrated that models can potentially identify and exploit novel attack paths without direct access to an organization’s source code. Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 21 July 2026 Inkling is also open-weight, meaning developers can download and customize the model without seeing the training data or source code. Shirin Ghaffary, Fortune, 15 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for source code

Word History

First Known Use

1965, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of source code was in 1965

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Cite this Entry

“Source code.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/source%20code. Accessed 28 Jul. 2026.

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