program
UK[ˈprəʊɡræm]US[ˈproʊɡræm]
n
A planned series of future events or performances.
n
A set of related measures or activities with a particular long-term aim.
n
A series of coded software instructions that control the operation of a computer.
v
To provide (a computer or other machine) with coded instructions for the automatic performance of a task.
v
To arrange according to a plan or schedule.
Morpheme Breakdown
pro
gram
pro
forward
gram
written/record
Etymology
The word "program" entered English in the 17th century from Late Latin programma, which itself was borrowed from Greek programma, meaning "a public written notice or proclamation." The Greek term is built from pro- ("before, forth") and graphein ("to write"). The original sense was of a written list or agenda of public events. This meaning of a planned sequence persisted as the word evolved. In the 19th century, it began to refer to a planned series of musical or theatrical performances. The crucial shift to computing occurred in the mid-20th century, influenced by the earlier term "programme" for a sequence of machine operations, where the "written" instructions for a computer became a metaphorical extension of a performance schedule or a set of planned actions.
Analysis
Structure: pro (forward) + gram (written/record)
- pro: A prefix of Latin origin, meaning "forward, forth, before, in favor of." In this word, it carries the sense of "forth, publicly."
- gram: A root of Greek origin (from gramma, meaning "letter, something written"), indicating a written or recorded item.
Examples
The concert program listed all the pieces to be performed.
The government launched a new program to improve public health.
She learned how to program a simple computer game in her coding class.