operating system

American  

[op-uh-rey-ting sis-tuhm] / ˈɒp ə reɪ tɪŋ ˌsɪs təm /

noun

Computers.

1. the collection of software that directs a computer's operations, controlling and scheduling the execution of other programs, and managing storage, input/output, and communication resources. OS

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operating system British  

noun

1. the set of software that controls the overall operation of a computer system, typically by performing such tasks as memory allocation, job scheduling, and input/output control

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operating system Scientific  

/ ŏp′ə-rā′tĭng /

1. Software designed to handle basic elements of computer operation, such as sending instructions to hardware devices like disk drives and computer screens, and allocating system resources such as memory to different software applications being run. Given uniformly designed operating systems that run on many different computers, developers of software do not need to concern themselves with these problems, and are provided with a standard platform for new programs.

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operating system Cultural  

1. The software that allows computer users to run applications with the hardware of a specific system. Microsoft® Windows® or Apple® Computer's OS are examples of operating systems.

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Etymology

Origin of operating system

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

The company that Bill Gates and Paul Allen founded in 1975 made a splash with its Disk Operating System.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 9, 2026

My role is to lead the Operating System team for Augmented Reality at Google.

From The Verge • Dec. 14, 2021

“This included making direct code changes to the Tesla Manufacturing Operating System under false usernames and exporting large amounts of highly sensitive Tesla data to unknown third parties,” the email read, according to CNBC.

From Washington Post • Jun. 20, 2018

Apple customers can already delay Mac Operating System updates or opt for them to be automatically installed overnight - which includes carrying out any essential reboots.

From BBC • Mar. 3, 2017

As with the ``Install Operating System Kernel and Modules'' step, you can either let dbootstrap find the file itself or type in the path at the prompt.

From Debian GNU/Linux : Guide to Installation and Usage by Goerzen, John