open-source

[ oh-puhn-sawrs, -sohrs ]

adjective

1. Computers. pertaining to or denoting software whose source code is available free of charge to the public to use, copy, modify, sublicense, or distribute.
2. pertaining to or denoting a product or system whose origins, formula, design, etc., are freely accessible to the public.

open source

noun

1. 1. intellectual property, esp computer source code, that is made freely available to the general public by its creators
   2. ( as modifier ) Compare closed source

      open source software

open-source

1. Relating to source code that is available to the public without charge. Open-source code is often enhanced, improved, and adapted for specific purposes by interested programmers, with the revised versions of the code are made available to the public. For example, most of the code in the Linux operating system is open-source.

Word History and Origins

Origin of open-source¹

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

Citing unnamed witnesses and “open-source reporting,” Corcoran claimed that Banks put a “monetary bounty” on Bowman’s head.

From Los Angeles Times

Rivals had seen its existence in what are known as open-source component documents that teams have to provide to the FIA about the design of their cars.

From BBC

The suspect was identified by tips submitted by the public, forensic analysis and by using "open-source research", police say.

From BBC

“It looks less controversial to appease a couple of leading AI companies but does little to address real concerns from academic institutions and open-source communities.”

From Los Angeles Times

"We are working toward scaling this methodology to real-time, open-source sentiment tracking, viewable by stakeholders like government officials, national labs and the industry that could give voice to public concerns in the coming years."

From Science Daily