operating system
Operating system (noun) means the main piece of software on a computer or phone that starts up first, manages the hardware such as the screen, memory and storage, and provides the shared services that all other programs rely on to run. Example: “The laptop shipped with an older operating system, so a few of the apps refused to install.”
How to Use Operating system
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe software that runs your computer or phone and lets everything else on it work.
Everyday in technology contexts; the abbreviation OS is common in writing and speech.
OS is pronounced as two letters, oh-ess, and takes the same article as the letter sound: an OS.
Trace the full origin ↓Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The laptop shipped with an older _____, so a few of the apps refused to install.
Etymology
A compound of operating, from operate, and system; in use in computing from the era of early mainframes, when the software that operated the machine was distinguished from the programs run on it.
Synonyms
View more →Related Words
Rhymes for operating system
See all rhymes for operating system →Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between an operating system and an application?
An operating system is the layer underneath everything else: it controls the hardware and hands out memory, storage and processor time. An application is an individual program that asks the operating system for those resources in order to do one job, such as editing photographs or reading email.
Is Chrome an operating system?
The Chrome web browser is an application, not an operating system. ChromeOS is a separate product and is an operating system, built around that browser but responsible for managing the machine itself.
Do phones have operating systems?
Yes. Android and iOS are operating systems, doing the same job on a phone that Windows or macOS does on a computer: starting the device, managing hardware and running apps.