distributed
Americanadjective
-
Computers.
-
being or relating to a network of devices, workstations, etc., in different locations connected by means of one or more other networks, allowing each member to carry out some or all of the management and processing of the shared information.
As computers began to connect across the internet, the CPU evolved from being specifically a central control system to become a node within a distributed network.
-
being or relating to a single database shared across such a network, especially one integrating multiple smaller databases.
Back then no one was thinking of distributed databases with hundreds of servers working to keep data consistent across the nodes.
-
-
Linguistics. (in distinctive feature analysis) characterized by relatively extensive contact or constriction between the articulating organs, as the in show in contrast to the in so.
-
Statistics. showing a specified type of distribution.
A randomly distributed dominant gene has a prevalence of 75 percent.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of distributed
Explanation
Something is distributed when it's divided up or spread around, the way cupcakes might be distributed among guests at a birthday party. Distributed is a word that's often used to describe the stuff that businesses sell. When a truck pulls up to a convenience store and the driver unloads cases of soda, the soda is being distributed. The driver will go from store to store, distributing all of the soda in the truck between different stores and restaurants. Words and ideas can be distributed too, which is what happens at school when students are lucky.
Vocabulary lists containing distributed
Copper Sun
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Small Steps
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Homesick
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
What once would have required a professional production team can now be created and distributed in hours, allowing supporters and campaigns to produce highly stylized portrayals of political figures at scale.
From Salon • Jun. 6, 2026
It had already announced last September that it planned this increase of 70 percent from the amount distributed for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026
The rescue team, which included Nigerien troops, distributed water to the "exhausted and distressed travellers" and helped repair the vehicle, allowing them to safely resume their journey.
From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026
Addressing the technical challenges of scaling massive AI data centers, Huang said that computing is becoming increasingly disaggregated and distributed, and to tie these sprawling systems together, the industry must rely heavily on advanced connectivity.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 2, 2026
They got distributed in high schools, posted on college bulletin boards.
From "Geeks: How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet Out of Idaho" by Jon Katz
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
