Programme

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /ˈpɹoʊˌɡɹæm/

Definitions

1. A systematic arrangement of events, shows, or broadcasts
2. A planned sequence of activities or events to achieve a goal ; content presented on radio or television for entertainment or information ; a collection of instructions that a computer follows to perform tasks
3. An organized series of actions or performances intended to occur in a particular order ; a radio or TV show delivered to an audience through broadcasting ; a software package consisting of commands that directs a computer's operations

Etymology: The word that now means a published schedule of shows or a plan of events started out as a public notice. In ancient Greece, "prógramma" was a written announcement set up in public, an edict or proclamation, and the verb "prográphō" meant to write something up where everyone could read it. The Greek parts are "pró", meaning "before" or "in front of", and "gráphō", meaning "to write", so the literal sense is something written out in front of people. The Greek word passed into Late Latin as "programma" with the same sense of a proclamation or edict. From there it reached French as "programme", and English borrowed the French form. The original Latin-derived spelling, "programma", survives as a doublet, meaning English has two forms from the same source. That split is why British and American spellings now differ: "programme" follows the French route, while "program" is the spelling that became standard in American English and in computing.

Synonyms: schedule, plan, agenda, curriculum, project

Antonyms: disorganization, chaos, disarray