Performing some predefined sequence of operations on an inPUt to produce an outPUt or change of internal state activity specifically involving the comPUter' s CPU. The term is often qualified: "data processing" treats digital data, "signal processing" treats analog data (possibly in digital form), "word processing" takes in typed human language inPUt and produces digital documents, {image processing} transforms digital {images}. (2003-10-23)