time-sharing

American  

[tahym-shair-ing] / ˈtaɪmˌʃɛər ɪŋ /

noun

1. Computers.  a system or service in which a number of users at different terminals simultaneously use a single computer for different purposes.

2. Also a plan in which persons share ownership or rental costs of a vacation home, especially a condominium, entitling each participant to use the residence for a specified time each year.

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time sharing British  

noun

1. 1. a system of part ownership of a property, such as a flat or villa, for use as a holiday home, whereby each participant buys the right to use the property for the same fixed period annually

   2. ( as modifier )

      a time-sharing system

2. 1. a system by which users at different terminals of a computer can, because of its high speed, apparently communicate with it at the same time Compare batch processing

   2. ( as modifier )

      a time-sharing computer

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Etymology

Origin of time-sharing

First recorded in 1960–65

Example Sentences

A virtuoso at computer architecture, he built the first time-sharing computer and championed efforts to build the Ethernet.

From New York Times

At Cardiff-based Tempo Time Credits, its time-sharing model is a bit different.

From BBC

It reminds me of research on coyotes in Chicago—both types of carnivores stay in the shadows during the day and roam at night, effectively time-sharing densely populated cities.

From Scientific American

Although he didn’t lose either of those fumbles, they appeared to cost him his time-sharing duties with Williams.

From Seattle Times

At M.I.T., he designed hardware and software for time-sharing, operating systems, artificial intelligence and networking on the predecessor to the internet.

From New York Times