operating systemn.
/ˈɒpəreɪtɪŋ sɪstᵻm/, U.S. /ˈɑpəreɪtɪŋ ˌsɪstəm/ Computing.
The low-level (low-level adj. 4b) software that supports a computer's basic functions, such as scheduling tasks, controlling peripherals, and allocating storage.An operating system is typically loaded automatically when a computer is switched on by means of a bootstrap routine. It provides the basic interface for the computer when no applications are running.In early personal computers, most operating systems used a command line interface. However, as PCs became increasingly popular in the late 1980s and early 1990s such systems were superseded by those having a graphical user interface (such as Microsoft Windows, or Apple's Mac OS).In the early 21st century operating systems for portable computers such as smartphones and tablets were developed, typically having a touch screen interface.
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society > computing and information technology > software > [noun] > operating systems software
supervisor1956
system program1956
software1958
system1958
systems program1960
operating system1961
monitor1962
system software1962
open system1981
1961 Ann. Rev. Automatic Programming 2 232 Two operating systems are provided in the Honeywell package.
1974 Communications ACM 17 366/1 Early versions of the [UNIX] operating system were written in assembly language.
1985 InfoWorld 9 Dec. 33/2 The next version of the operating system will have to offer multitasking capabilities in order to meet customer demands.
1997 Computing 9 Jan. 8/5 An operating system, Windows 95, that seems to have been designed by a committee of bedlamites.
2010 Irish Times (Nexis) 26 Nov. 8 Apple has released a significant update to iOS, the operating system that runs on the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, June 2004; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1961