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• real time
  real time

  noun

  the actual time elapsed in the performance of a computation by a computer, the result of the computation being required for the continuation of a physical process.
• real-time
  real-time

  adjective

  of or relating to applications in which the computer must respond as rapidly as required by the user or necessitated by the process being controlled.

real time

¹ American  

[ree-uhl, reel] / ˈri əl, ril /

noun

• real times
  plural

1. Computers. the actual time elapsed in the performance of a computation by a computer, the result of the computation being required for the continuation of a physical process.

2. the actual time during which a process takes place or an event occurs.

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idioms

1. in real time, at once; instantaneously.

real-time ² American  

[ree-uhl-tahym, reel-] / ˈri əlˈtaɪm, ˈril- /

adjective

Computers.

1. of or relating to applications in which the computer must respond as rapidly as required by the user or necessitated by the process being controlled.

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real-time British  

adjective

1. denoting or relating to a data-processing system in which a computer receives constantly changing data, such as information relating to air-traffic control, travel booking systems, etc, and processes it sufficiently rapidly to be able to control the source of the data

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real-time Cultural  

1. A term used to describe computer systems that update information at the same rate as they receive data.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• real times
  plural

Etymology

Origin of real time

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

real time real-time

Infante, who covers the beverage alcohol industry in his newsletter “Fingers,” has watched that distortion happen in real time.

From Salon ● Aug. 15, 2026

The messaging service allows people to create and join groups based on their interests, with users able to enter voice or video calls in real time through Discord's "Go Live" feature.

From BBC ● Aug. 12, 2026

But Gawat caught several errors in real time, including a misreading of his vitamin D level, which was low.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 6, 2026

Live sports has become attractive to advertisers as it is one of the few ways to reach a massive audience in real time.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026

In front of them was the CROP—a huge screen showing the field of combat in real time.

From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell

Yet it is the world's fastest-growing real-time payment system,, external used by more than 140 million people and 14 million companies, with more than four billion transactions a month averaging about $88 each.

From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026

His channel, Aeris Rimor -- roughly derived from the Latin for Searcher of the Skies -- is one of dozens sending real-time messages about incoming drones and missiles.

From Barron's ● Aug. 16, 2026

Over time, however, they operate closer to real-time and began offering not just a view of what’s happening in a factory, but AI-powered recommendations on how to improve or optimize production, Brown said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026

The roll-up doors will allow cars to be driven inside and a wall of high-resolution LED panels will project backgrounds in real-time 3-D environments.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026

Halliday had transformed a fifty-year-old film into a real-time interactive videogame.

From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline