[leyt-n-see] 
| 1. | the state of being latent. |
| 2. | Computers. the time required to locate the first bit or character in a storage location, expressed as access time minus word time. |
| 3. | latent period. |
| 1. | Also, latency period. Pathology. the interval between exposure to a carcinogen, toxin, or disease-causing organism and development of a consequent disease. |
| 2. | Physiology. the interval between stimulus and reaction. |
| la·ten·cy (lāt'n-sē) n. pl. la·ten·cies
|
latency la·ten·cy (lāt'n-sē)
n.
The state of being latent.
In conditioning, the period of apparent inactivity between the time the stimulus is presented and the moment a response occurs.
See latency phase.
latent period n.
The period elapsing between the application of a stimulus and the obvious response, such as the contraction of a muscle.
The interval between exposure to an infectious organism or a carcinogen and the clinical appearance of disease. Also called incubation period.
latency communications
1. The time it takes for a packet to cross a network connection, from sender to receiver.
2. The period of time that a frame is held by a network device before it is forwarded.
Two of the most important parameters of a communications channel are its latency, which should be low, and its bandwidth, which should be high. Latency is particularly important for a synchronous protocol where each packet must be acknowledged before the next can be transmitted.
(2000-02-27)
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