Linux

[ lin-uhks or, especially British, lin-ooks ]

/ ˈlɪn əks or, especially British, ˈlɪn ʊks /

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Computers, Trademark.

an operating system, based on UNIX, that runs on many different hardware platforms and whose source code is available to the public.

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of Linux

First recorded in 1990–95; named after Linu(s) Benedict Torvalds (born 1969), Finnish software engineer + x as in UNIX

Words nearby Linux

Linton, lintwhite, linty, linum, Linus, Linux, liny, Lin Yutang, Linz, Linzer torte, lion

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use Linux in a sentence

The severity of the vulnerability, combined with the availability of working exploits for both Windows and Linux machines, sent hackers scrambling to actively find vulnerable servers.
Code-execution flaw in VMware has a severity rating of 9.8 out of 10|Dan Goodin|February 25, 2021|Ars Technica
Red Hat's December announcement of CentOS Stream—which it initially billed as a "replacement" for CentOS Linux—left many users confused about its role in the updated Red Hat ecosystem.
CentOS is gone—but RHEL is now free for up to 16 production servers|Jim Salter|January 20, 2021|Ars Technica
Telegram is free for iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, Linux, and on the web.
6 secure alternatives to WhatsApp|Sandra Gutierrez G.|January 18, 2021|Popular-Science
RedHat, which is perhaps best known for its enterprise Linux products has been making the shift to the cloud in recent years.
RedHat is acquiring container security company StackRox|Ron Miller|January 7, 2021|TechCrunch

Google’s Gentoo Linux-based operating system, known as Chrome OS, is updated automatically every 2 to 6 weeks, offering a constantly improved user experience.
Best Chromebooks: Five things to consider|Eric Alt|December 9, 2020|Popular-Science
OS X is needed to run Final Cut Pro, a state-of-the-art video editing software, and Linux is used to hack into wireless networks.
The Technology Propelling #OccupyWallStreet|Sam Schlinkert|October 6, 2011|DAILY BEAST
With Google now building a Linux-based netbook OS of its own, those last barriers to entry will be removed.
Google's War on the PC|Douglas Rushkoff|July 8, 2009|DAILY BEAST
In Phase Two, even a chimp could make dough by throwing darts at companies such as WorldCom, JDS Uniphase, VA Linux, and eToys.
Return of the Day Trader|Lee Eisenberg|April 9, 2009|DAILY BEAST
The high school kids who broke it were Brazilian Linux hackers who lived in a favela -- a kind of squatter's slum.
Little Brother|Cory Doctorow
Now, have a look—this is a Linux computer with some of the most advanced robotics ever engineered.
Makers|Cory Doctorow

British Dictionary definitions for Linux

linux

/ (ˈlaɪnʌks) /

noun

a nonproprietary computer operating system suitable for use on personal computers

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012