Meanings
nounfunction (plural functions)
plural functions
- What something does or is used for.
Glu Mobile, who realigned its workforce towards centralized GaaS functions last year, announced earlier this month that it will shut down GameSpy Technology on May 31. The service provides multiplayer functionality for dozens of games on consoles, computers and mobile devices.
2014 May 1, Jenna Pitcher, “Glu Mobile acquires Diner Dash developer PlayFirst”, in Polygon, archived from the original on 27 Sep 20231 more example
Although they serve the same function across the plant, animal and fungal kingdoms, sperm and eggs vary wildly in their structure and biochemistry, even among closely related species. […] Many genes with reproductive roles also have antibacterial and immune functions, which indicate that the threat of microbial attack on the sperm or egg may be a major influence on rapid evolution during reproduction.
2013 May-June, Katrina G. Claw, “Rapid Evolution in Eggs and Sperm”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 3, archived from the original on 08 Jul 2013 - A professional or official position.
Synonyms: occupation, office, part, role
- An official or social occasion.
Our hotel is hosting a function for all the warehouse workers on the night of April 18.
Synonyms: affair, occasion, social occasion, social function
- Something which is dependent on or stems from another thing; a result or concomitant.
Though most of the cases here cover European encounters with non-Europeans, it is not the intention of the book to give the impression that genocide is a function of European colonialism and imperialism alone.
2008 June 1, A. Dirk Moses, “Preface”, in Empire, Colony, Genocide: Conquest, Occupation, and Subaltern Resistance in World History, Berghahn Books, →ISBN, page x - A relation where one thing is dependent on another for its existence, value, or significance.
- mathematicsA relation in which each element of the domain is associated with exactly one element of the codomain.
Synonyms: map, mapping, mathematical function, operator, transformation
- computingA routine that receives zero or more arguments and may return a result.
Synonyms: procedure, routine, subprogram, subroutine, func, funct
- biologyThe physiological activity of an organ or body part.
- chemistryThe characteristic behavior of a chemical compound.
- anthropologyThe role of a social practice in the continued existence of the group.
verbfunction (third-person singular simple present functions, present participle functioning, simple past and past participle functioned)
present singular third person functions · participle present functioning · participle past functioned · past functioned
- intransitiveTo carry out a function; to be in action.
Although the laying workers functioned in a queenlike manner, they were unable to suppress ovarian development as effectively as the queen.
1991, Kenneth G Ross, Robert W Matthews, The social biology of waspsSynonyms: go, operate, run, work · Antonyms: malfunction
Synonyms & antonyms
nounA professional or official position.
Similar
nounAn official or social occasion.
nounA party.
nounA relation in which each element of the domain is associated with exactly one element of the codomain.
nounA routine that receives zero or more arguments and may return a result.
Narrower
subfunctionacidity functionexecutive ego functionspectral density functionspectral functioncontrol functionluminosity functionmass functionphase functionsource functionanonymous functionBoolean functionbuilt-in functioncomplexity functioncomputable functionconcave functionconstructor functionconvex functionerror functionfirst-class functionHartley functionlacunary functionpredefined functionRamanujan theta functionrecursive functionrestricted functionsecond-class functionset functionswitch functionthird-class functiontransition functionuser-defined functionAND functionMinkowski's question mark functionNOR functionNOT functionOR functionpiecewise functionpropositional functionswitching function
More synonyms by meaning
noun(mathematics) a mathematical relation such that each element of a given set (the domain of the function) is associated with an element of another set (the range of the function)
Broader
mathematical relation
nounthe actions and activities assigned to or required or expected of a person or group
Broader
nouna formal or official social gathering or ceremony of people
Similar
nouna set sequence of steps, part of larger computer program
Broader
verbperform as expected when applied
Opposite
Also see
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*bʰewg-
- Proto-Indo-European*bʰunégti
- Proto-Italic*fungōr
- Latinfungor
- Latinfūnctiō
- Old Frenchfonction
- Middle Frenchfunction
- Englishfunction
From Middle French function, from Old French fonction, from Latin functiō (“performance, execution”), from functus, perfect participle of fungor (“to perform, execute, discharge”), from Proto-Indo-European *bʰewg- (“to enjoy”).
More words from Middle French, Old French, Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Afrikaans funksie
- funksiewhat something does or is used for
Arabic وَظِيفَة, مَهَمَّة
- وَظِيفَة (waẓīfa)what something does or is used for
- مَهَمَّة (mahamma)professional or official position
- دَالَّة (dālla)mathematics: a relation between a set of inputs and a set of permissible outputs
- تَابِع (tābiʕ)mathematics: a relation between a set of inputs and a set of permissible outputs
- وَظِيفَة (waẓīfa)computing: routine that returns a result
- دَالَّة (dālla)computing: routine that returns a result
Bulgarian фу́нкция, роля
- фу́нкция (fúnkcija)what something does or is used for
- роля (rolja)what something does or is used for
- предназначение (prednaznačenie)what something does or is used for
- слу́жба (slúžba)professional or official position
- длъжност (dlăžnost)professional or official position
- фу́нкция (fúnkcija)relation where one thing is dependent on another
- фу́нкция (fúnkcija)mathematics: a relation between a set of inputs and a set of permissible outputs
- фу́нкция (fúnkcija)computing: routine that returns a result
- фу́нкция (fúnkcija)biology: physiological activity of an organ or body part
- де́йност (déjnost)biology: physiological activity of an organ or body part
- фу́нкция (fúnkcija)chemistry: characteristic behavior of a chemical compound
- функционирам (funkcioniram)to have a function
- служа (služa)to have a function
- функциони́рам (funkcioníram)to carry on a function
Catalan funció, funció
- funciówhat something does or is used for
- funcióprofessional or official position
- funciómathematics: a relation between a set of inputs and a set of permissible outputs
- funciócomputing: routine that returns a result
- funcióbiology: physiological activity of an organ or body part
- funcióchemistry: characteristic behavior of a chemical compound
- funcionarto carry on a function
Chinese Mandarin 功能, 機能 /机能
- 功能 (gōngnéng)what something does or is used for
- 機能 /机能 (jīnéng)what something does or is used for
- 職務 /职务 (zhíwù)professional or official position
- 職位 /职位 (zhíwèi)professional or official position
- 函數 /函数 (hánshù)mathematics: a relation between a set of inputs and a set of permissible outputs
- 函數 /函数 (hánshù)computing: routine that returns a result
- 函式 (hánshì)computing: routine that returns a result
- 功能 (gōngnéng)biology: physiological activity of an organ or body part
- 官能 (guānnéng)chemistry: characteristic behavior of a chemical compound
- 工作 (gōngzuò)to carry on a function
- 運行 /运行 (yùnxíng)to carry on a function
- 運轉 /运转 (yùnzhuǎn)to carry on a function
Czech funkce, účel
- funkcewhat something does or is used for
- účelwhat something does or is used for
- funkceprofessional or official position
- funkcerelation where one thing is dependent on another
- funkcemathematics: a relation between a set of inputs and a set of permissible outputs
- funkcecomputing: routine that returns a result
- funkcebiology: physiological activity of an organ or body part
- fungovatto have a function
- fungovatto carry on a function
Danish funktion, funktion
- funktionwhat something does or is used for
- funktionprofessional or official position
- funktionrelation where one thing is dependent on another
- funktionmathematics: a relation between a set of inputs and a set of permissible outputs
- funktioncomputing: routine that returns a result
- fungereto have a function
- fungereto carry on a function
- virketo carry on a function
Dutch functie, functie
- functiewhat something does or is used for
- functieprofessional or official position
- functierelation where one thing is dependent on another
- functiemathematics: a relation between a set of inputs and a set of permissible outputs
- functiecomputing: routine that returns a result
- functiebiology: physiological activity of an organ or body part
- functiechemistry: characteristic behavior of a chemical compound
- gelegenheidofficial or social occasion
- fungerento have a function
- dienento have a function
- functionerento carry on a function
Esperanto funkcio, funkcio
- funkciowhat something does or is used for
- funkciomathematics: a relation between a set of inputs and a set of permissible outputs
- funkciocomputing: routine that returns a result
- funkciito carry on a function
Estonian funktsioon, otstarve
- funktsioonwhat something does or is used for
- otstarvewhat something does or is used for
- funktsioonmathematics: a relation between a set of inputs and a set of permissible outputs
- funktsiooncomputing: routine that returns a result
Finnish tehtävä, tarkoitus
- tehtäväwhat something does or is used for
- tarkoituswhat something does or is used for
- toimintowhat something does or is used for
- tehtäväprofessional or official position
- toimiprofessional or official position
- funktiorelation where one thing is dependent on another
- riippuvuusrelation where one thing is dependent on another
- riippuvuussuhderelation where one thing is dependent on another
- funktiomathematics: a relation between a set of inputs and a set of permissible outputs
- kuvausmathematics: a relation between a set of inputs and a set of permissible outputs
- funktiocomputing: routine that returns a result
- aliohjelmacomputing: routine that returns a result
- toimiato have a function
- käydäto carry on a function
- olla käynnissäto carry on a function
- toimiato carry on a function
French fonction, fonction
- fonctionwhat something does or is used for
- fonctionprofessional or official position
- en fonction derelation where one thing is dependent on another
- fonctionmathematics: a relation between a set of inputs and a set of permissible outputs
- fonctioncomputing: routine that returns a result
- fonctionbiology: physiological activity of an organ or body part
- fonctionnerto carry on a function
- marcherto carry on a function
German Funktion, Funktionalität
- Funktionwhat something does or is used for
- Funktionalitätwhat something does or is used for
- Funktionprofessional or official position
- Aufgabeprofessional or official position
- Abhängigkeitsverhältnisrelation where one thing is dependent on another
- Funktionmathematics: a relation between a set of inputs and a set of permissible outputs
- Abbildungmathematics: a relation between a set of inputs and a set of permissible outputs
- Funktioncomputing: routine that returns a result
- Funktionbiology: physiological activity of an organ or body part
- Zweckbiology: physiological activity of an organ or body part
- Funktionchemistry: characteristic behavior of a chemical compound
- Funktionofficial or social occasion
- fungierento have a function
- funktionierento carry on a function
- arbeitento carry on a function
- wirkento carry on a function
- funzento carry on a function
Greek λειτουργία, λειτούργημα
- λειτουργία (leitourgía)what something does or is used for
- λειτούργημα (leitoúrgima)professional or official position
- αποστολή (apostolí)professional or official position
- καθήκον (kathíkon)professional or official position
- συνάρτηση (synártisi)mathematics: a relation between a set of inputs and a set of permissible outputs
- συνάρτηση (synártisi)computing: routine that returns a result
- λειτουργία (leitourgía)biology: physiological activity of an organ or body part
- τελετή (teletí)official or social occasion
- δεξίωση (dexíosi)official or social occasion
- λειτουργώ ως (leitourgó os)to have a function
- λειτουργώ (leitourgó)to carry on a function
- εργάζομαι (ergázomai)to carry on a function
Hebrew תַּפְקִיד, תַּפְקִיד
- תַּפְקִיד (tafkíd)what something does or is used for
- תַּפְקִיד (tafkíd)professional or official position
- פוּנְקְצִיָּה (funktsiá)relation where one thing is dependent on another
- פוּנְקְצִיָּה (funktsiá)mathematics: a relation between a set of inputs and a set of permissible outputs
- פוּנְקְצִיָּה (funktsiá)computing: routine that returns a result
- אירוע \ אֵרוּעַ (erúa)official or social occasion
- תפקד (tifkéd)to have a function
- תפקד (tifkéd)to carry on a function
- פעל (pa'ál)to carry on a function
Hindi काम, काज
- काम (kām)what something does or is used for
- काज (kāj)what something does or is used for
- उपयोग (upyog)what something does or is used for
- पद (pad)professional or official position
- पदवी (padvī)professional or official position
- फलन (phalan)mathematics: a relation between a set of inputs and a set of permissible outputs
- फलन (phalan)computing: routine that returns a result
- कार्य (kārya)biology: physiological activity of an organ or body part
- प्रसंग (prasaṅg)official or social occasion
Hungarian funkció, rendeltetés
- funkciówhat something does or is used for
- rendeltetéswhat something does or is used for
- szerepwhat something does or is used for
- célwhat something does or is used for
- funkcióprofessional or official position
- feladatprofessional or official position
- függvényrelation where one thing is dependent on another
- függvénymathematics: a relation between a set of inputs and a set of permissible outputs
- függvénycomputing: routine that returns a result
- működésbiology: physiological activity of an organ or body part
- funkcióbiology: physiological activity of an organ or body part
- összejövetelofficial or social occasion
- -ra/-re valóto have a function
- -ra/-re szolgálto have a function
- működikto carry on a function
Icelandic fall, fall
- fallmathematics: a relation between a set of inputs and a set of permissible outputs
- fallcomputing: routine that returns a result
Indonesian fungsi, fungsi
- fungsiwhat something does or is used for
- fungsimathematics: a relation between a set of inputs and a set of permissible outputs
- fungsibiology: physiological activity of an organ or body part
- faalbiology: physiological activity of an organ or body part
Irish feidhm, feidhmeannas
- feidhmwhat something does or is used for
- feidhmeannaswhat something does or is used for
- feidhmprofessional or official position
- feidhmmathematics: a relation between a set of inputs and a set of permissible outputs
- feidhmcomputing: routine that returns a result
- feidhmbiology: physiological activity of an organ or body part
- feidhmighto have a function
- feidhmighto carry on a function
Italian funzione, funzione
- funzionewhat something does or is used for
- funzionerelation where one thing is dependent on another
- funzionemathematics: a relation between a set of inputs and a set of permissible outputs
- funzionecomputing: routine that returns a result
- funzionebiology: physiological activity of an organ or body part
- funzionechemistry: characteristic behavior of a chemical compound
- cerimoniaofficial or social occasion
- funzioneofficial or social occasion
- ricevimentoofficial or social occasion
- funzionareto have a function
- fungereto have a function
- funzionareto carry on a function
Japanese 機能, 職務
- 機能 (kinō)what something does or is used for
- 職務 (shokumu)professional or official position
- 職位 (shokui)professional or official position
- 関数 (kansū)mathematics: a relation between a set of inputs and a set of permissible outputs
- 函数 (kansū)mathematics: a relation between a set of inputs and a set of permissible outputs
- 関数 (kansū)computing: routine that returns a result
- 機能 (kinō)biology: physiological activity of an organ or body part
- 機能 (kinō)chemistry: characteristic behavior of a chemical compound
- 作用する (sayō suru)to have a function
- 動く (ugoku)to have a function
- 作動する (sadō suru)to carry on a function
- 機能する (kinō suru)to carry on a function
- 作用する (sayō suru)to carry on a function
- 動く (ugoku)to carry on a function
Korean 기능, 직무
- 기능 (gineung)what something does or is used for
- 직무 (jingmu)professional or official position
- 직분 (jikbun)professional or official position
- 지위 (jiwi)professional or official position
- 직위 (jigwi)professional or official position
- 상관관계 (sanggwan'gwan'gye)relation where one thing is dependent on another
- 함수 (hamsu)mathematics: a relation between a set of inputs and a set of permissible outputs
- 함수 (hamsu)computing: routine that returns a result
- 기능 (gineung)biology: physiological activity of an organ or body part
- 기능 (gineung)chemistry: characteristic behavior of a chemical compound
- 행사 (haengsa)official or social occasion
- 작동하다 (jakdonghada)to carry on a function
- 작용하다 (jagyonghada)to carry on a function
Latin pars, fūnctiō
- parswhat something does or is used for
- fūnctiōmathematics: a relation between a set of inputs and a set of permissible outputs
Latvian funkcija, funkcija
- funkcijawhat something does or is used for
- funkcijacomputing: routine that returns a result
- funkcijabiology: physiological activity of an organ or body part
Lithuanian funkcija, funkcija
- funkcijawhat something does or is used for
- funkcijacomputing: routine that returns a result
- funkcijabiology: physiological activity of an organ or body part
Malay fungsi, fungsi
- fungsiwhat something does or is used for
- fungsimathematics: a relation between a set of inputs and a set of permissible outputs
- berfungsito carry on a function
Māori taumahi, pānga
- taumahiwhat something does or is used for
- pāngamathematics: a relation between a set of inputs and a set of permissible outputs
- taumahicomputing: routine that returns a result
Norwegian Bokmål funksjon, post
- funksjonwhat something does or is used for
- postprofessional or official position
- stillingprofessional or official position
- funksjonrelation where one thing is dependent on another
- funksjonmathematics: a relation between a set of inputs and a set of permissible outputs
- funksjoncomputing: routine that returns a result
- funksjonbiology: physiological activity of an organ or body part
- tilstellingofficial or social occasion
- tilstelningofficial or social occasion
Polish funkcja, funkcja
- funkcjawhat something does or is used for
- funkcjaprofessional or official position
- stanowiskoprofessional or official position
- posadaprofessional or official position
- zależnośćrelation where one thing is dependent on another
- funkcjamathematics: a relation between a set of inputs and a set of permissible outputs
- funkcjacomputing: routine that returns a result
- działaćto carry on a function
- funkcjonowaćto carry on a function
Portuguese função, função
- funçãowhat something does or is used for
- funçãoprofessional or official position
- funçãorelation where one thing is dependent on another
- funçãomathematics: a relation between a set of inputs and a set of permissible outputs
- funçãocomputing: routine that returns a result
- funçãobiology: physiological activity of an organ or body part
- funçãoofficial or social occasion
- funcionarto have a function
- funcionarto carry on a function
Punjabi ਕਾਜ
- ਕਾਜ (kāj)what something does or is used for
Romanian funcție, funcție
- funcțiewhat something does or is used for
- funcțieprofessional or official position
- funcțiemathematics: a relation between a set of inputs and a set of permissible outputs
- funcțiecomputing: routine that returns a result
- funcționato carry on a function
Russian фу́нкция, фу́нкция
- фу́нкция (fúnkcija)what something does or is used for
- фу́нкция (fúnkcija)professional or official position
- до́лжность (dólžnostʹ)professional or official position
- фу́нкция (fúnkcija)relation where one thing is dependent on another
- фу́нкция (fúnkcija)mathematics: a relation between a set of inputs and a set of permissible outputs
- фу́нкция (fúnkcija)computing: routine that returns a result
- фу́нкция (fúnkcija)biology: physiological activity of an organ or body part
- фу́нкция (fúnkcija)chemistry: characteristic behavior of a chemical compound
- фу́нкция (fúnkcija)official or social occasion
- функциони́ровать (funkcionírovatʹ)to have a function
- функциони́ровать (funkcionírovatʹ)to carry on a function
- рабо́тать (rabótatʹ)to carry on a function
- идти́ (idtí)to carry on a function
Slovak funkcia, funkcia
- funkciawhat something does or is used for
- funkciamathematics: a relation between a set of inputs and a set of permissible outputs
- funkciacomputing: routine that returns a result
- funkciabiology: physiological activity of an organ or body part
- funkciachemistry: characteristic behavior of a chemical compound
- fungovaťto carry on a function
Spanish función, cargo
- funciónwhat something does or is used for
- cargoprofessional or official position
- funciónmathematics: a relation between a set of inputs and a set of permissible outputs
- funcióncomputing: routine that returns a result
- funciónbiology: physiological activity of an organ or body part
- funciónofficial or social occasion
- fungirto have a function
- funcionarto carry on a function
- fungirto carry on a function
- funcarto carry on a function
Swedish funktion, uppgift
- funktionwhat something does or is used for
- uppgiftwhat something does or is used for
- förrättningprofessional or official position
- kallprofessional or official position
- sysslaprofessional or official position
- åliggandeprofessional or official position
- funktionrelation where one thing is dependent on another
- funktionmathematics: a relation between a set of inputs and a set of permissible outputs
- funktioncomputing: routine that returns a result
- subrutincomputing: routine that returns a result
- funktionbiology: physiological activity of an organ or body part
- funktionchemistry: characteristic behavior of a chemical compound
- fungerato have a function
- tjänstgörato have a function
- verkato have a function
- fungerato carry on a function
- tjänstgörato carry on a function
Tagalog taan, laan
- taanwhat something does or is used for
- laanwhat something does or is used for
- kabisamathematics: a relation between a set of inputs and a set of permissible outputs
- taanbiology: physiological activity of an organ or body part
Thai ฟังก์ชัน, ฟังก์ชัน
- ฟังก์ชัน (fang-chân)mathematics: a relation between a set of inputs and a set of permissible outputs
- ฟังก์ชัน (fang-chân)computing: routine that returns a result
Turkish fonksiyon, işlev
- fonksiyonwhat something does or is used for
- işlevwhat something does or is used for
- fonksiyonmathematics: a relation between a set of inputs and a set of permissible outputs
- işlevcomputing: routine that returns a result
- fonksiyoncomputing: routine that returns a result
- fonksiyonbiology: physiological activity of an organ or body part
- işlevbiology: physiological activity of an organ or body part
Ukrainian фу́нкція, фу́нкція
- фу́нкція (fúnkcija)what something does or is used for
- фу́нкція (fúnkcija)professional or official position
- поса́да (posáda)professional or official position
- фу́нкція (fúnkcija)mathematics: a relation between a set of inputs and a set of permissible outputs
- фу́нкція (fúnkcija)computing: routine that returns a result
- фу́нкція (fúnkcija)biology: physiological activity of an organ or body part
- фу́нкція (fúnkcija)chemistry: characteristic behavior of a chemical compound
- функціонува́ти (funkcionuváty)to carry on a function
Urdu کام, کاج
- کام (kām)what something does or is used for
- کاج (kāj)what something does or is used for
- اُپْیوگ (upyog)what something does or is used for
- تَفاعُل (tafā'ul)mathematics: a relation between a set of inputs and a set of permissible outputs
- وَظِیفَہ (vazīfa)computing: routine that returns a result
Vietnamese chức năng, vai trò
- chức năngwhat something does or is used for
- vai tròwhat something does or is used for
- hàmcomputing: routine that returns a result
- hàm sốcomputing: routine that returns a result
Welsh gweithrediad
- gweithrediadwhat something does or is used for
Yiddish פֿונקציע
- פֿונקציע (funktsye)mathematics: a relation between a set of inputs and a set of permissible outputs
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with function
junctionconjunctioninjunctionmalfunctiondisjunctionunctioncompunctionchoice functiondigamma functionmicrojunctionsink functionswitching function
All rhymes →Cite this entry
APA
function. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/function
MLA
“function.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/function. Accessed November 2, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “function,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/function.
Source: function on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.