programming
noun
Simple meaning
The design and scheduling of a performance such as ballet.
Pronunciation
Say it like this:
prohgramingSay the bold part a little louder.
IPA pronunciation (US)
ˈpɹoʊɡɹæmɪŋ
This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.
IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.
Definition
Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.
noun
computing
The act of writing a computer program.
broadcasting
The designing, scheduling or planning of a radio or television program/programme.
The design and scheduling of a performance such as ballet.
Brain-washing.
The software that controls a machine, or the logic expressed in such software; operating instructions.
Word Aura™
How this word commonly comes across.
Aura for this meaning
This meaning: The act of writing a computer program.
Used this way, programming is a specialist word that usually carries little praise or criticism of its own. This is a computing use: it carries a fixed technical meaning inside software and systems work.
- Emotional tone
- Neutral
- Formality
- Specialist/technical
- Intensity
- Not strongly marked
- How common
- Specialized
- Connotation
- Clinical and technical
- Usage feel
- Technical and specialized
Where it naturally appears
- Technology
- Technical/specialist writing
- Business/professional
Usage note
In general conversation this sense usually needs explaining — outside its field, people reach for a plainer word.
Word Aura describes common impressions, not a measurement. Tone changes with sentence, speaker, relationship and situation.
More ways to use programming
- “My friend is studying computer programming at college.”noun
Share your sentence
More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin
Synonyms
Sense: writing a computer program
Use This Word
See how this word sounds in a real sentence.
Ask Vocabaura
Understand the word your way.
What Does It Mean Here?
Words can change meaning depending on context.
Use it yourself
Knowing “programming” starts when you use it. Pick a next step, all free.
Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.