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

All of the new X1 models will have BMW’s new Operating System 8 with new voice assistant features.

From The Verge • Jun. 2, 2022

Zuckerberg has long dreamed of building what I described in my book, Antisocial Media, as “the Operating System of Our Lives.”

From Slate • Nov. 1, 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

As many viruses do, this one attached itself to the Command.Com file of the DOS Operating System.

From Terminal Compromise: computer terrorism: when privacy and freedom are the victims: a novel by Schwartau, Winn