programmatic

Etymology

It is formed from English programme + -atic,^[2] or, in Etymonline's view, from program and -ic, probably with an awareness of the Greek stem.^[3] Merriam-Webster Unabridged and Dictionary.com derive it from the Greek stem with the English suffix.^[4][5] Program is from Late Latin programma (“proclamation, edict”), from Ancient Greek πρόγραμμα (prógramma, “a written public notice”), from προγράφω (prográphō, “to set forth as a public notice”).^[3][1] The OED compares New Latin programmaticus (“relating to public notices”) (before 1540) and French programmatique (1780, and again from 1967), and notes the slightly earlier English programmatical (1890), in George Bernard Shaw.^[2]

Earliest recorded meaning

Relating to or of the nature of a programme: 1847, according to Etymonline.^[3] The OED's first record is in music, of programme music, in 1896,^[2][4] and Dictionary.com dates the word to 1895–1900.^[5]

Semantic evolution

The musical sense goes with programme in the sense of the objects or events suggested by a piece of music, recorded from 1854.^[3][2] The general sense, relating to a programme or setting out a programme of action, is recorded by the OED from 1899, in The Times,^[2] and now also covers computer programs.^[2]

Timeline

• 1847 – relating to or of the nature of a programme.^[3] The OED's first record of this sense is from 1899.^[2]
• 1896 – in music, relating to programme music.^[2][4]

Meanings

Adjective

1. Relating to, following or setting out a programme or plan of action: The party's manifesto was more programmatic than practical.^[6][4][2]
2. (music) Relating to or of the nature of programme music.^[6][4][2]
3. (computing) Relating to, or done by means of, a computer program.^[2]

Word family

• programmatically
• nonprogrammatic

Related words

• program
• programmatical
• graphic
• grammar

References

1. ^ a b c Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Oxford English Dictionary Online (accessed March 2026), Oxford: Oxford University Press
3. ^ a b c d e Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
4. ^ a b c d e Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary (2024), online ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
5. ^ a b Dictionary.com Unabridged (2016), based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, New York: Random House
6. ^ a b Collins English Dictionary (2023), Glasgow: HarperCollins