floating-point unit

English

Noun

floating-point unit (plural floating-point units)

1. (computer hardware) A microprocessor that performs floating-point arithmetic. In older models of computer the FPU was not integrated into the central processing unit, but rather as a coprocessor if included at all.

Alternative forms

• FPU
• floating point processor

Related terms

• central processing unit
• execution unit
• coprocessor
• co-processor

Translations

computing

• Finnish: liukulukuyksikkö
• French: unité de calcul en virgule flottante (fr) f