Microprocessor

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A miniature computing unit that manages data processing and directs the functionality of various electronic devices
2. A tiny semiconductor device that carries out processing tasks and governs the operation of digital systems
3. A small integrated circuit that performs computation and controls various functionalities within electronic appliances and systems

Etymology: The "micro-" in microprocessor comes from Ancient Greek "mīkrós," meaning "small," and it reached English through the scientific habit of building new terms from Greek roots. "Processor" is the older half of the compound, a word for something that carries out processing, so the whole term is simply a compound of the two: a tiny processor. Nothing about the formation is mysterious; the word was assembled deliberately from familiar parts to name a device that could fit on a single small chip. The clever part is how little the compound needed to explain itself. A "micro-" prefix had already spread through English in words like "microscope" and "microphone," so a reader meeting "microprocessor" could guess its meaning instantly. Its format follows that same pattern, joining a Greek-derived prefix to an English noun.

Synonyms: processor, CPU, integrated circuit, chip, computer chip