noun

1. the normal or characteristic action of anything; esp., any of the natural, specialized actions of a system, organ, or part of an animal or plant the procreative function
2. a special duty or performance required in the course of work or activity the function of an auditor, the function of the brakes
3. occupation or employment
4. a formal ceremony or elaborate social occasion
5. a thing that depends on and varies with something else
6. 1. an action which is part of a series leading to a resulting action
   2. an operational instruction for programming an electronic device, as a digital watch, computer, etc.; also, an operation performed by such a device as a result of such an instruction
7. any of the roles that a linguistic form can fulfill in an utterance
8. Math. an association between two sets in which each element of one set has one assigned element in the other set: any selected element becomes the independent variable and its associated element is the dependent variable y = f(x) means y is a function of x

Etymology: OFr < L functio < pp. of fungi, to perform < IE base *bheug-, to enjoy > Sans bhuṅktē, (he) enjoys

intransitive verb

1. to act in a required or expected manner; work
2. to have a function; serve or be used (as)