noun
- plural of microcode; sets of elementary instructions stored in a computer’s control unit that implement machine language instructions
Usage: computing; technical
Examples
- The processor’s microcodes determine how complex instructions are broken down into simpler operations.
- Engineers updated the microcodes to improve the CPU’s performance.
- Different processors may use various microcodes to execute the same machine language instruction.
- The microcodes are stored in read-only memory within the processor.
- Debugging microcodes requires specialized knowledge of computer architecture.
- Modern processors contain thousands of microcodes for different instruction types.