operating system noun (computing)

A collection of programs that controls the activities of a computer system (also called systems software)

operating table noun

The narrow table on which the patient lies during a surgical operation

operating theatre or operating room noun

A room in a hospital, etc equipped for the performing of surgical operations

operational amplifier noun

A very stable high-gain amplifier used in electronic circuits

operational research or operations research noun

1. Research to discover how a weapon, tactic or strategy can be altered to give better results
2. Similar research to promote maximum efficiency in industrial spheres

operative words plural noun

1. The words in a deed legally effecting the transaction (eg devise and bequeath in a will)
2. (loosely; often in sing) the most significant word or words

system /sisˈtim or -təm/

1. Anything formed of parts placed together or adjusted into a regular and connected whole
2. A set of things considered as a connected whole
3. A group of heavenly bodies moving mainly under the influence of their mutual attraction (astronomy)
4. A set of bodily organs of similar composition or concurring in function
5. The bodily organism
6. A geological period, a subdivision of the Palaeozoic, Mesozoic and Cenozoic eras
7. A plan of action
8. A method of procedure
9. A method of organization
10. An organized set of computer components (hardware) which interact to allow the processing of data
11. The operating procedures and computer hardware and software required to process data in a given application
12. Methodicalness
13. A systematic treatise
14. (with the, often with cap) society seen as a soulless and monolithic organization thwarting individual effort
15. A group of (Greek) verses
16. A body of doctrine
17. A theory of the universe
18. A full and connected view of some department of knowledge
19. An explanatory hypothesis
20. A scheme of classification
21. A manner of crystallization

systematˈic or systematˈical adjective

1. Relating to, consisting of, for the purpose of, observing, or according to system
2. Methodical
3. Habitual
4. Intentional

systematˈically adverb

systematician /-ə-tishˈən/ noun

systematˈics singular noun

1. The science of classification
2. The study of classification of living things in accordance with their natural relationships

sysˈtematism noun

sysˈtematist noun

systematīzāˈtion or systematīsāˈtion or systemīzāˈtion or systemīsāˈtion noun

sysˈtematize or sysˈtematise, sysˈtemize or sysˈtemise transitive verb

To reduce to a system

sysˈtematizer or sysˈtematiser noun

systematolˈogy noun

sysˈtemed adjective

systemic /-temˈik/ adjective

1. Relating to the bodily system or to a system of bodily organs
2. Affecting the body as a whole
3. (of a pesticide, etc) spreading through all the tissues, without harming the plant but making it toxic to the insect, etc
4. (of a herbicide) spreading through all the tissues of a plant and killing it

sysˈtemless adjective

1. Without system
2. Not exhibiting organic structure

systematic desensitization noun

A form of behaviour therapy used esp in the treatment of phobias, in which fear is reduced by exposing the sufferer to the feared object in the presence of a stimulus that inhibits the fear

system building noun

Building using standardized factory-produced components

sysˈtem-built adjective

sysˈtem-maker or sysˈtem-monger noun

Someone unduly fond of constructing systems

system operator see sysop

systems analysis noun

systems analyst noun

A person who analyses the operation of a scientific, commercial, industrial, etc procedure, usu with a computer, in order to plan more efficient methods, better use of equipment, or the introduction of computers into the operation

systems engineering noun

A branch of engineering that uses information theory and systems analysis to design integrated systems

systems flowchart noun (computing)

A flowchart designed to analyse the operation of a computing system with a view to improving it

systems program noun (computing)

A software program which controls the operation of a computer system (cf applications program under apply)

systems software noun (computing)

A set of programs used to run the operating system of a computer, making it usable and controlling its performance