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asynchronous - 4 dictionary results

a⋅syn⋅chro⋅nous

[ey-sing-kruh-nuhs]
–adjective
1. not occurring at the same time.
2. (of a computer or other electrical machine) having each operation started only after the preceding operation is completed.
3. Computers, Telecommunications. of or pertaining to operation without the use of fixed time intervals (opposed to synchronous ).

Origin:
1740–50; a- 6 + synchronous


a⋅syn⋅chro⋅nous⋅ly, adverb
a·syn·chro·nism   (ā-sĭng'krə-nĭz'əm)   
n.  Lack of temporal concurrence; absence of synchronism.
a·syn'chro·nous (-nəs) adj., a·syn'chro·nous·ly adv.

Asynchronous

A*syn"chro*nous\, a. [Gr. ? not + synchronous.] Not simultaneous; not concurrent in time; -- opposed to synchronous.

asynchronous architecture
Not synchronised by a shared signal such as clock or semaphore, proceeding independently.
Opposite: synchronous.
1. A process in a multitasking system whose execution can proceed independently, "in the background". Other processes may be started before the asynchronous process has finished.
2. A communications system in which data transmission may start at any time and is indicated by a start bit, e.g. EIA-232. A data byte (or other element defined by the protocol) ends with a stop bit. A continuous marking condition (identical to stop bits but not quantized in time), is then maintained until data resumes.
(1995-12-08)

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