GPS

1 of 2

noun

ˌjē-(ˌ)pē-ˈes How to pronounce GPS (audio)
: a navigational system using satellite signals to fix the location of a radio receiver on or above the earth's surface
also : the radio receiver so used

GPS

2 of 2

abbreviation

gallons per second

Examples of GPS in a Sentence

Noun The car comes with GPS.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
Fueled by real-time GPS tracking and your phone's camera, the StarSense app generates a live sky map that leads you straight to any celestial object. — Paul Brett, Space.com, 28 Aug. 2026 The Garmin Instinct 3 pairs a crisp AMOLED display with outdoor-ready multi-band GPS precision. — Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 25 Aug. 2026 The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs) stated in its file that the last message Kovrizhynkh sent to her mother on July 5 contained a photograph of a letter along with GPS coordinates in Potrero. — Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 25 Aug. 2026 Phillips-Brown was given a $750,000 bond and a GPS steel cuff tether. — Joseph Buczek, CBS News, 24 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for GPS

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Global Positioning System

First Known Use

Noun

1974, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of GPS was in 1974

Browse Nearby Words

G protein
GPS
GPU
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“GPS.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/GPS. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

GPS

noun
ˌjē-ˌpē-ˈes
: a navigation system that uses satellite signals to find the location of a radio receiver on or above the earth's surface
also : a radio receiver used in a GPS system
Etymology

Noun

Global Positioning System

More from Merriam-Webster on GPS

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about GPS

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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