See CPU. Main component of a computer, the part that executes individual program instructions and controls the operation of other parts. It is sometimes called the central processor or, when contained on a single integrated circuit, a microprocessor.
The CPU has three main components: the arithmetic and logic unit (ALU), where all calculations and logical operations are carried out; a control unit, which decodes, synchronizes, and executes program instruction; and the immediate access memory, which stores the data and programs on which the computer is currently working. All these components contain registers, which are memory locations reserved for specific purposes.
(computer science) The part of a computer (a microprocessor chip) that does most of the data processing; the CPU and the memory form the central part of a computer to which the peripherals are attached.