programmer

• program +‎ -er (US) / programme +‎ -er (UK)

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈpɹəʊɡɹæmə/

• Audio (Southern England):

  (file)

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈpɹoʊɡɹæmɚ/

programmer (plural programmers)

2. (computing) One who writes computer programs.

   Synonyms: coder, computer programmer; code monkey (humorous or derogatory)

   Coordinate terms: developer (broadly synonymous), software engineer (broadly synonymous); designer; software architect

   • 2025 March 14, Andrew Van Dam, “Department of Data: More than a quarter of computer-programming jobs just vanished. What happened? Learning to code was supposedly the salvation of millions of liberal art majors. But now programming jobs are plummeting. The Post’s Department of Data tries to figure out what’s going on”, in Washington Post‎^[1]:

     More important, when we looked at who worked in that industry, we noticed that programmers were in the minority. They’re dwarfed by, among other occupations, the software developers. The two terms are sometimes used interchangeably, but the jobs follow very different trajectories. Nationwide, software developers haven’t struggled nearly as much as their programming brethren — few other computer-related occupations have. So what makes programmers different? To answer that, we need to dive forehead first into everybody’s favorite part of any analysis: arcane occupation definitions! Upon perusing the fine print, we saw that while programmers do in fact program, they “work from specifications drawn up by software and web developers or other individuals.” That seems like a clue. In the real world, “developer” and “programmer” can seem almost interchangeable. But in the world of government statistics, where we have legal permanent residency, there’s a clear distinction. In the [US] government’s schema, programmers do the grunt work while the much more numerous — and much faster-growing — software developers enjoy a broader remit. They figure out what clients need, design solutions and work with folks such as programmers and hardware engineers to implement them. Their pay reflects this gap in responsibilities. The median programmer earned $99,700 in 2023, compared with $132,270 for the median developer. And while 27.5 percent of programming jobs vanished, jobs for developers have only fallen 0.3 percent, similar to the broader industry.

3. (radio, television) One who decides which programs will be shown on a television station, or which songs will be played on a radio station.
   • 1990, Wayne Jancik, The Billboard Book of One-Hit Wonders, →ISBN, page 151:

     The handful of never-ending summer classics annually activated by rock-radio programmers.

   • 2005, Steve Warren, Radio:

     So if there is a real shortage of training material and opportunities for radio programmers, then let's write some.

4. A device that installs or controls a software program in some other machine.
   • 1999, Peter Spasov, Microcontroller technology, the 68HC11:

     The EPROM programmer burns the data into the EPROM chip. When programming is completed, remove the EPROM chip and plug it into the circuit […]

   • 2015, Brian Scaddan, Electrical Installation Work, page 201:

     This system comprises a boiler with its own thermostat to regulate the water temperature, a pump, a hot-water storage tank, a room thermostat and some form of timed programmer.

5. (now rare) A short film feature as part of a longer film program.
   • 2019, Delia Malia Caparoso Konzett, Hollywood at the Intersection of Race and Identity:

     As a programmer, the Chan series is linked to the B picture, known for its low production value and overt, disruptive, unpolished, even lurid narratives.

From programme +‎ -er.

• IPA^(key): /pʁɔ.ɡʁa.me/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Audio (Canada):

  (file)

programmer

1. to program
2. (computing) to program, to write program code

• obsolescence programmée
• programmateur
• programmation

• “programmer”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

• program (of noun)

programmer n

1. indefinite plural of program

programmer

1. imperative of programmere