Phrase guide

word processing

noun · verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /ˈwəːdˌprəʊsɛsŋ/
  • Canada: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

The creation, input, editing and formatting of documents and other text using software on a computer.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: uncountable

Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

present participle and gerund of word process

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: form-of, gerund, participle, present

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

rapid and efficient processing (storage and printing) of linguistic data for composition and editing

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: data processing

History

Etymology

From word + processing.

From word process + -ing.

Across languages

Translations

11 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 文字處理 /文字处理 (wénzì chǔlǐ) — creation, input, editing and formatting of documents and other text using software on a computer
  • Chinese Mandarin: 字處理 /字处理 (zìchǔlǐ) — creation, input, editing and formatting of documents and other text using software on a computer
  • Chinese Mandarin: 文書處理 /文书处理 (wénshū chǔlǐ) — creation, input, editing and formatting of documents and other text using software on a computer
  • Finnish: tekstinkäsittely — creation, input, editing and formatting of documents and other text using software on a computer
  • French: traitement de texte — creation, input, editing and formatting of documents and other text using software on a computer
  • Greek: επεξεργασία κειμένου (epexergasía keiménou) — creation, input, editing and formatting of documents and other text using software on a computer
  • Icelandic: ritvinnsla — creation, input, editing and formatting of documents and other text using software on a computer
  • Italian: word processing — creation, input, editing and formatting of documents and other text using software on a computer
  • Italian: elaborazione di testi — creation, input, editing and formatting of documents and other text using software on a computer
  • Italian: videoscrittura — creation, input, editing and formatting of documents and other text using software on a computer
  • Spanish: tratamiento de textos — creation, input, editing and formatting of documents and other text using software on a computer