Gps

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A satellite-based navigation system used for determining precise locations on Earth
2. A system that allows users to identify their position using signals from satellites orbiting the planet
3. A technology utilizing signals from satellites to pinpoint geographical locations in real-time

Etymology: GPS is an abbreviation for "Global Positioning System," the satellite navigation network that lets receivers work out their location from signals sent by orbiting satellites. The initials were not chosen to spell anything; they are simply the first letters of the three words in the official name. The system itself was developed by the United States Department of Defense, and it came into wide civilian use only later, once it became clear that the signals could serve everyday navigation as well as military needs. Over time the three letters stopped standing for a name most people had ever spoken aloud and became a word in their own right, used as a noun for both the network and the handheld or in-car devices that rely on it.

Synonyms: global positioning system, navigation system, satellite navigation