I. ˈprō-ˌgram, -grəm noun
Etymology: French programme agenda, public notice, from Greek programma, from prographein to write before, from pro- before + graphein to write — more at carve
Date: 1633
1.
[Late Latin programma, from Greek]
: a public notice
2.
a. : a brief usually printed outline of the order to be followed, of the features to be presented, and the persons participating (as in a public performance)
b. : the performance of a program ; especially : a performance broadcast on radio or television
3. : a plan or system under which action may be taken toward a goal
4. : curriculum
5. : prospectus , syllabus
6.
a. : a plan for the programming of a mechanism (as a computer)
b. : a sequence of coded instructions that can be inserted into a mechanism (as a computer)
c. : a sequence of coded instructions (as genes or behavioral responses) that is part of an organism
II. transitive verb
also programme
( -grammed or -gramed ; -gram·ming or -gram·ing )
Date: 1896
1.
a. : to arrange or furnish a program of or for : bill
b. : to enter in a program
2. : to work out a sequence of operations to be performed by (a mechanism) : provide with a program
3.
a. : to insert a program for (a particular action) into or as if into a mechanism
b. : to control by or as if by a program
c.
(1) : to code in an organism's program
(2) : to provide with a biological program
cells programmed to synthesize hemoglobin
4. : to predetermine the thinking, behavior, or operations of as if by computer programming
children are programmed into violence — Lisa A. Richette
• pro·gram·ma·bil·i·ty (ˌ)prō-ˌgra-mə-ˈbi-lə-tē noun
• pro·gram·ma·ble ˈprō-ˌgra-mə-bəl adjective or noun