programmer

noun

pro·​gram·​mer ˈprō-ˌgra-mər How to pronounce programmer (audio)
-grə-
variants or less commonly programer
: one that programs: such as
a
: a person who prepares and tests programs for devices (such as computers)
b
: one that programs a mechanism
c
: one that prepares an instructional program
d
: a person who plans or prepares entertainment programs
a television programmer

Examples of programmer in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The suit, which was filed July 26 in New York State Supreme Court, alleges that the NBA breached Turner Broadcasting’s current deal by allegedly refusing to honor the cable programmer’s rights to match an offer from Amazon for the contract period that begins with the 2025-26 season. Meg James, Los Angeles Times, 7 Aug. 2024 If Venu Sports were to be ratified, other sports programmers would have to go through Fox, Disney, and Warner Bros. for sports licensing rights, while at the same time, competing with Venu with their own sports streaming services. Jack Dunn, Variety, 6 Aug. 2024 There’s a saying in the world of programmers that code is written primarily for other coders to read, and only secondarily for the machine to run. Clive Thompson, WIRED, 29 July 2024 Such weapons exist under human control—an actual person deciding when and where to use them—but more and more, programmers are training these machines to make those decisions without a human hitting a figurative red button. Kate Graham-Shaw, Scientific American, 9 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for programmer 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'programmer.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1875, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of programmer was in 1875

Dictionary Entries Near programmer

Cite this Entry

“Programmer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/programmer. Accessed 19 Aug. 2024.

Kids Definition

programmer

noun
pro·​gram·​mer
variants also programer
ˈprō-ˌgram-ər How to pronounce programmer (audio)
-grə-mər
: a person who writes computer programs

More from Merriam-Webster on programmer

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!