program
/ˈproʊˌɡræm/
noun
Origin
Greek
programma — a public notice, an edict
Overview
Meaning Now
- A planned series of future events, items, or performances.
- A set of instructions written in a programming language to be executed by a computer.
- A structured set of activities or services designed to achieve a specific goal.
Literal older meaning
something written beforehand
Language path
Greek → Latin → French → English
Earliest form
programma
Earliest period
17th century
Journey
The term originated as a public notice displayed in Greek cities. By the 19th century, it evolved in English to mean a printed list of items in a concert or theater performance, and eventually to refer to any structured sequence of events or technical instructions.
Evolution
- Ancient Greek
programma
“written public notice”
- Late Latin
programma
“proclamation”
- 17th-century English
program
“public announcement”
- 19th-century English
program
“schedule of activities”
- 20th-century English
program
“coded computer instructions”
Connections
Word parts
pro-
prefix
before
gram
root
write
Related across languages
French
programme
program
German
Programm
program
Explore next
Related to program
External references use DefinedTerm semantics.