# application

Pronunciation: US say "ap-luh-KAY-shuhn" /ˌæp.ləˈkeɪ.ʃən/; UK say "ap-li-KAY-shuhn" /ˌæp.lɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/

## Noun

1. A formal request, written or spoken, for something such as a job, a place at a school, a loan, or a court order; also the act of making one.
   - Simple: A formal request for something, like a job, a place at a school, or help.
   - _She submitted her application to three universities before the deadline._
   - _The scholarship committee reviewed hundreds of applications this year._
2. A software program that the user experiences as a single tool built to serve a particular purpose.
   - Simple: A program you run on a computer or phone to do a certain job.
   - _The company released an application for managing customer orders._
   - _Most banking applications now require two-factor authentication._
3. The use of something, such as a rule, theory, or method, for a particular purpose or in a particular case; a specific use something is put to.
   - Simple: The use of something, like an idea or a rule, for a particular purpose or in a particular case.
   - _The application of economic theory to real markets is rarely straightforward._
   - _Engineers found a practical application for the discovery within months._
4. The act of physically placing something onto a surface or spreading it over one.
   - Simple: The act of putting something onto a surface, like spreading or laying it on.
   - _For the best finish, the varnish needs a slow, even application, with each coat left to dry before the next._
   - _The nurse demonstrated the correct application of the bandage._
5. A substance that is laid on or spread onto a surface.
   - Simple: Something that is put onto a surface, such as a cream or coating.
   - _The gardener spread a fresh application of fertilizer over the beds._
   - _A thin application of ointment soothed the burn overnight._
6. Diligence; close and sustained attention given to a task.
   - Simple: Hard work and careful attention given to something.
   - _Her application to the project never wavered, even during setbacks._
   - _Success in this field demands both talent and constant application._

## Noun

7. Willing compliance with or obedience to a request, command, or authority. *(obsolete)*
   - Simple: Willingness to obey or go along with what someone asks.

## Other meanings

- (noun) A form of decorative needlework in which cut pieces of fabric are sewn onto a base material; appliqué.
- (noun) In lambda calculus, the operation of applying a function to an argument, written by placing the two side by side.

## Origin

From Late Middle English "applicacioun", borrowed from Old French "aplicacion", from Latin "applicātiō" ("attachment; application; inclination"), which comes from "applicō" ("join to, attach; apply"). It is equivalent to "apply" plus the suffix "-ication".

Source: DictionaryAI, https://dictionaryai.com/define/application (written from Wiktionary data, CC BY-SA 4.0: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/).