general-purpose

adjective

gen·​er·​al-pur·​pose ˈjen-rəl-ˈpər-pəs How to pronounce general-purpose (audio)
ˈje-nə-
: suitable to be used for two or more basic purposes

Examples of general-purpose in a Sentence

a general-purpose glue for routine household repairs
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.
Rather than relying on general-purpose AI like GPT-4, which often struggles with domain-specific details, these models are trained on medical texts and structured to understand the nuances of clinical language. David Talby, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025 Frustrated with inherent inefficiencies in the architecture of ultralow-power microprocessors, the founders of startup Efficient Computer decided to reinvent the general-purpose processor from the ground up for energy efficiency. IEEE Spectrum, 24 July 2025 The company expects this investment to continue to drive healthy demand growth in the AI server market, despite macro uncertainty, with demand for general-purpose servers also expected to grow. Dylan Butts, CNBC, 23 July 2025 China is already a near peer in technology, a handful of private companies are steering development, and AI is a general-purpose technology that is spreading to nearly every part of the economy and society. Matan Chorev, Foreign Affairs, 22 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for general-purpose

Word History

First Known Use

1894, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of general-purpose was in 1894

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Cite this Entry

“General-purpose.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/general-purpose. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.

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