Microprocessors

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. An integrated circuit that contains the functions of a central processing unit, used in computers and various electronic devices
2. A compact semiconductor chip responsible for executing instructions and processing data in modern technology
3. A crucial component of digital systems, enabling the operation of software programs through its rapid computational abilities

Etymology: The plural "microprocessors" is simply the plural of "microprocessor," so the story is that of the singular noun. The word is a plain compound: "micro-" comes from the Ancient Greek "mīkrós," meaning "small," and "processor" is an English word for a device that carries out operations on data. Put together, the term names a processor small enough to fit on a single chip. The "micro-" element reached English through modern scientific coinage, drawing on the Greek prefix "mīkro-" rather than from any ancient usage involving electronics. Ancient Greeks had no notion of a microprocessor, so the word belongs wholly to the age of computing, built from classical building blocks.

Synonyms: chips, processors, computing units, microcontrollers, integrated circuits