processor
processor — noun
1. a device, organization, or individual that handles raw materials, food items, do
a device, organization, or individual that handles raw materials, food items, documents, or other goods by preparing or managing them through a series of steps.
The coffee processor buys beans directly from farms in Kenya and Ethiopia.
collocation: coffee processor / dairy processor / meat processor
Min works for a large dairy processor that produces cheese and yogurt.
The new food processor chopped the vegetables in under five seconds.
Padma uses a word processor to write and edit her school reports.
- manufacturer
more specific to factory production; narrower than processor
- handler
used for people and organizations that manage materials or paperwork
- plant
refers only to the physical facility, not the company itself
文法句型
processor + of + noun
adjective + processor
用法筆記
Frequently used in compound nouns that name a specific industry, such as food processor, dairy processor, or word processor. The kitchen appliance is the most common everyday referent.
常見錯誤
2. the main electronic unit inside a computer or device that reads and carries out
the main electronic unit inside a computer or device that reads and carries out program instructions and performs mathematical operations on data.
The new processor runs complex calculations three times faster than the old one.
pattern: processor + runs / handles / processes
Jabari installed a faster processor to improve his computer's performance.
This smartphone's processor handles video editing without slowing down.
After the processor in Tyler's laptop broke, the computer would not boot past the logo screen.
A faster processor lets you stream high-definition videos and play games without the computer slowing down.
- CPU
stands for central processing unit; essentially interchangeable with processor in modern use
- microprocessor
technical term for a processor on a single chip; common in engineering contexts
- chip
broader term that includes processors, memory chips, and other integrated circuits
- core
a single processing unit within a multi-core processor, not the whole component
文法句型
processor + verb (runs / handles / processes)
adjective + processor
用法筆記
Often shortened to CPU (central processing unit) in technical writing. Processor can also refer to a graphics processor (GPU) or a multi-core processor containing several processing units on one chip.