API

n. Stands for Application Programming Interface. It is a set of rules that allows one piece of software to talk to or use features from another.

n. Abbreviation for Application Programming Interface. A set of protocols and tools that enables different software applications to communicate and exchange data.

“The weather app uses a Google API to show the map on your screen.”

“Developers can integrate third-party payment processing into their websites by connecting to the provider's secure API.”

Technical

n. Stands for Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient. This is the specific chemical in a drug that actually treats the illness or condition.

n. Abbreviation for Active Pharmaceutical Ingredient. The biologically active component in a drug product that produces the intended effects.

“The factory produces the API used in many common headache tablets.”

“Regulatory agencies must inspect the manufacturing facilities where the API is synthesized to ensure chemical purity and safety.”

Technical · Formal

n. Stands for Asian and Pacific Islander. It is a term used to describe people with origins in Asia or the Pacific Islands.

n. Abbreviation for Asian and Pacific Islander. A demographic classification used primarily in the United States to group people of Asian and Pasifika descent.

“The university held a special event to celebrate the heritage of API students.”

“The census data provided new insights into the economic diversity within the API community across the West Coast.”

American English