word processor

noun

: a device or program used to perform word processing

Examples of word processor in a Sentence

At work she sits in front of her word processor all day. She closed down her word processor and opened her e-mail program.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Surely, the act of writing became easier with the word processor, but the machine did not invent the plot. — William Jones, Miami Herald, 14 Jan. 2026 Ten years ago, programming meant typing code into a blank word processor and editing it manually. — Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 25 Dec. 2025 Building a genome from scratch means that software tools similar to word processors can be used to easily search and replace strings of letters, or cut and paste code blocks. — Big Think, 20 Oct. 2025 Every technological development – from the quill pen and the typewriter to the word processor – has brought with it changes in how humans express themselves. — Gayle Rogers, The Conversation, 17 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for word processor

Word History

First Known Use

1968, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of word processor was in 1968

Rhymes for word processor

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Browse Nearby Words

word processing
word processor
word/rumor has it
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Word processor.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/word%20processor. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

word processor

noun
: a keyboard-operated terminal usually with a video display and a magnetic storage device for use in word processing
also : software (as for a computer system) to perform word processing

More from Merriam-Webster on word processor

Nglish: Translation of word processor for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about word processor

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