programming language

noun

plural programming languages
: any of various languages (see language sense 1c) used to create computer programs
Programming languages are the foundation of software development, allowing developers to create applications, websites, and systems through computer-understandable instructions.—geeksforgeeks.org
Most software engineers do far more than churn out code, designing products, choosing programming languages, troubleshooting problems and gathering feedback from users.—Steve Lohr
Maintaining the system is getting harder because it relies on a computer programming language (COBOL) that fewer and fewer programmers know.—David Zubler
compare assembly language, machine language, natural language sense 2

Examples of programming language in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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The first version of the programming language Java was released. — USA Today, 6 May 2026 Your recruiting pitch should highlight modern tools and programming languages, as well as opportunities for training and mentorship. — Robert Hogeboom, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026 Common programming languages such as Python or Rust, which contain roughly understandable plaintext commands for arithmetic operations, didn’t exist back then. — Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 12 May 2026 Engineering education, Panetta says, has traditionally focused on tools like equations, programming languages, and lab techniques. — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 28 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for programming language

Word History

First Known Use

1959, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of programming language was in 1959

Rhymes for programming language

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Browse Nearby Words

programming
programming language
program music
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Cite this Entry

“Programming language.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/programming%20language. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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