app

1 of 2

noun

1
: application sense 3
a word processing app
especially : an application designed for a mobile device (such as a smartphone)
Health-insurance companies and government officials alike are drawn to the ability of smartphone apps to reach tough-to-access patients, to effect long-term lifestyle changes, and to do it all at a very low cost. Marcellus Hall
see also killer app
2
informal : appetizer
… the hidden video monitors that tell the cooks when the V.I.P.'s have finished their appsThomas McNamee

app

2 of 2

abbreviation

1
apparatus
2
appendix
3
appliance

Examples of app in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Noun
Where to stream the Pickled Pig episode of 'Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives' The Food Network can be streamed live or on demand through various services, such as the Food Network Go app, Discovery+, Max or Hulu + Live TV. Grace Tucker, The Enquirer, 23 July 2025 Global Citizen Fest is a free event, and fans can access tickets through the charity’s app and website by volunteering. Tomás Mier, Rolling Stone, 22 July 2025 These devices, and especially these apps, were designed to hook your child. Eileen Finan, People.com, 22 July 2025 The company aims to use AI to help anyone develop websites and apps in mere minutes— no technical chops required. Rashi Shrivastava, Forbes.com, 22 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for app

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1981, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of app was in 1981

Cite this Entry

“App.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/app. Accessed 26 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

app

noun
ˈap
1
2
informal : appetizer

Medical Definition

app

1 of 2 abbreviation
appendix

APP

2 of 2 abbreviation
amyloid precursor protein

Legal Definition

App

abbreviation
Appeals

More from Merriam-Webster on app

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