coprocessor
nounUK /ˌkəʊˈprəʊsesə/
US /ˌkoʊˈprɑːsesər/
A coprocessor is a helper chip that does special jobs for the main computer chip.
The math coprocessor made the old computer much faster at calculations.
RELATED WORDS
OTHER MEANINGS
2. A chip that handles floating-point math while the main processor does other work.
Early PCs often needed a math coprocessor for scientific software.
3. A dedicated chip that speeds up a specific task like graphics or sound.
The graphics coprocessor renders images without slowing the main CPU.
4. Any secondary processor that works alongside the main one in a system.
Engineers added a coprocessor to handle sensor data in real time.