English for Information and Communication Technology
Vocabulary
Contents
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| Information Age | Noun | the present time, in which large amounts of information are available because of developments in computer technology |
| Information Literacy | Noun | a basic skill or knowledge of information technology |
| Validation | Noun | proof that something is correct |
| Parity checking | Noun | Basic form of error detection in communications |
| Analog (Analogue) | Adjective | representing electronic information as a continuously varying signal |
| Central processing unit (CPU) | Noun | the part of a computer that controls all the other parts |
| The fetch-decode-execute cycle | Noun | The sequence of steps that the CPU follows to process instructions |
| Random Access Memory (RAM) | Noun | a type of computer memory that can be searched in any order and changed as necessary |
| Read Only Memory (ROM) | Noun | a type of computer memory that holds information that can be used but not changed or added to |
| Memory cache | Noun | an area or type of computer memory in which information that is often in use can be stored temporarily and got to especially quickly |
| Terabyte (TB) | Noun | a unit of computer information consisting of 1,099,511,627,776 bytes |
| Gigabyte (GB) | Noun | a unit of measurement of computer storage space equal to 1,073,741,824 bytes |
| Megabyte (MB) | Noun | a unit of computer information consisting of 1,048,576 bytes |
| Kilobyte (KB) | Noun | a unit of computer information consisting of 1,024 bytes |
| Byte | Noun | a unit of computer information, consisting of a group of (usually eight) bits |
| Bit | Noun | a unit of information in a computer that must be either 0 or 1 |
| Random access | Noun | the capability to have access to any item from a given population of elements at random |
| Sequential access | Noun | a term describing a group of elements (such as data in a memory array or a disk file or on magnetic tape data storage) being accessed in a predetermined, ordered sequence |
| Volatile memory | Noun | computer memory that requires power to maintain the stored information |
| Non-volatile memory | Noun | computer memory that can retrieve stored information even after having been power cycled |
| Utility program | Noun | software designed to help to analyse, configure, optimize or maintain a computer |
| Driver program | Noun | a computer program that makes it possible for a computer to use other pieces of equipment such as a printer |
| Batch processing | Noun | the fact of a computer doing a number of jobs on different batches (= groups) of information automatically one after the other |
| Real-time | Adjective | used to describe the way in which a computer system receives data and then communicates it or makes it available immediately |
| Parallel processing | Noun | the ability of a computer to do two or more pieces of work at the same time |
| Distributed processing | Noun | using several computers together, instead of just one main computer, to process data |
| Internet Service Provider (ISP) | Noun | a company that provides use of the internet, allows you to use email, and gives you space on the internet to show documents |
| Local Area Network (LAN) | Noun | a system for connecting the computers of people who work in the same building |
| Wide Area Network (WAN) | Noun | a computer network that connects separate machines over a wide area, for example in different countries, using telecommunication systems |
| Fibre optics | Noun | the process of sending information in the form of light signals along very thin glass or plastic threads, often in telephone wires or cables |
| Modem | Noun | a piece of electronic equipment which allows one computer to send information to another through telephone wires |
| Hub | Noun | a machine that connects several computers together |
| Switch | Noun | a piece of equipment in a network that receives electronic data and sends it to the right place |
| Router | Noun | a piece of electronic equipment that connects computer networks to each other, and sends information between networks |
| Wireless | Adjective | using a system of radio signals rather than wires to connect computers, mobile phones, etc. to each other |
| Leased line | Noun | a private telecommunications circuit between two or more locations provided according to a commercial contract |
| Broadband | Noun | a system for using the internet that makes it possible for large amounts of information to be sent quickly between computers |
| Protocol | Noun | a computer language allowing computers that are connected to each other to communicate |
| Domain name | Noun | the part of an email or website address on the internet that shows the name of the organization that the address belongs to |
| Search engines | Noun | a computer program that finds information on the internet by looking for words that you have typed in |
| Pseudocode | Noun | a plain language description of the steps in an algorithm or another system |
| Array | Noun | a data structure consisting of a collection of elements (values or variables), each identified by at least one array index or key |
| Iteration | Noun | an amount that you get when you use a mathematical rule several times |
| Debug | Verb | to remove bugs (= mistakes) from a computer program |
| Intellectual property | Noun | someone's idea, invention, creation, etc., that can be protected by law from being copied by someone else |
| Copyright | Noun | the legal right that someone has to control the production and selling of a book, play, film, photograph, piece of music, etc. for a particular period of time |
| Licensing | Noun | the process of giving or getting permission to have, produce, or use something that another person or company has created or owns |
| Infringement | Noun | an action that breaks a rule, law, etc. |
| Internet piracy | Noun | the practice of using the internet to illegally copy software and pass it on to other people |
| Bit Torrent | Noun | a communication protocol for peer-to-peer file sharing, which enables users to distribute data and electronic files over the Internet in a decentralized manner |
| Digital watermark | Noun | a piece of electronic information that is put into a computer file and that cannot be removed, showing who created or owns the file |
| Digital signature | Noun | a way of putting a person's name on an electronic document that proves who that person is |
| Malware | Noun | computer software that is designed to damage the way a computer works |
| Spyware | Noun | software that collects information about how someone uses the internet, or personal information such as passwords, without the user knowing about it |
| Adware | Noun | software that automatically puts advertisements onto a computer screen when a person is using the internet |
| Peer-to-peer | Adjective | involving sharing files or other resources between computers connected through a network, rather than using a central server (= a central computer that stores files) |
| Firewall | Noun | a computer system or program that prevents someone from seeing or using information on a computer without permission, especially someone using the internet |
| Eavesdrop | Verb | to listen to someone's private conversation without them knowing |
| Hacking | Noun | the activity of using a computer to access information stored on another computer system without permission, or to spread a computer virus |
| Phishing | Noun | an attempt to trick someone into giving information over the internet or by email that would allow someone else to take money out of their bank account |
| Spamming | Noun | the activity of sending advertisements by email to people who do not want to receive them |
| Junk mail | Noun | mail that advertises products and services and is sent to people although they have not asked to receive it |
| Encryption | Noun | the process of changing electronic information or signals into a secret code (= system of letters, numbers, or symbols) that people cannot understand or use without special equipment |
| Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) | Noun | an electronic authentication method in which a device user is granted access to a website or application only after successfully presenting two or more pieces of evidence to an authentication mechanism |
| Referential integrity | Noun | a property of data stating that all its references are valid |
| Third Normal Form (3NF) | Noun | a database schema design approach for relational databases which uses normalizing principles to reduce the duplication of data, avoid data anomalies, ensure referential integrity, and simplify data management |
| Data mining | Noun | the process of using special software to look at large amounts of computer data in order to find out useful information, for example what types of product a company's customers buy |
| Prototyping | Noun | the activity of making basic models or designs for a machine, software or other industrial product |
| Dynamic web page | Noun | a web page that displays different content each time it’s viewed |
| Transmitter | Noun | a piece of equipment for broadcasting radio or television signals |
| Receiver | Noun | a piece of equipment that changes radio and television signals into sounds and pictures |
| Client | Noun | a computer that is connected to a server (= large central computer) from which it gets information |
| Server | Noun | a central computer from which other computers get information |
| Attenuation | Noun | the process of making something less or weaker |
| Noise | Noun | any bad change in a signal, especially in a signal produced by an electronic device |
| Simplex | Noun | data transmission in one direction only, e.g., radio station broadcast |
| Half-duplex | Noun | data transmission in both directions is possible, but not at the same time, e.g., walkie talkies |
| Duplex | Noun | data transmission is possible in both directions at the same time (simultaneously), e.g., telephones |
| Interference | Noun | noise or other electronic signals that stop you from getting good pictures or sound on a television or radio |
| Teleworking (Telecommuting) | Noun | the activity of working at home, while communicating with your office by phone or email, or using the internet |
| Troubleshooting | Noun | the process of solving problems, esp. complicated problems in a system |
| Tweening | Noun | a process in animation that involves generating intermediate frames, called ‘inbetweens’, between two keyframes |
| Morph | Verb | to gradually change one image into another, or combine them, using a computer program |
| Resolution | Noun | the ability of a microscope, or a television or computer screen, to show things clearly and with a lot of detail |
| Cookie | Noun | a piece of information stored on your computer about internet documents that you have looked at |
| Language | Noun | a system of writing instructions for computers |
| Linker | Noun | a computer system program that takes one or more object files and combines them into a single executable file, library file, or another ‘object’ file |
| Loader | Noun | the part of an operating system that is responsible for loading programs and libraries |
| Compiler | Noun | a computer program that translates computer code written in one programming language into another language |
| Interpreter | Noun | a computer program that directly executes instructions written in a programming or scripting language, without requiring them previously to have been compiled into a machine language program |
| access, memory access | computer science | the operation of reading or writing stored information |
| access time | computer science | the interval between the time data is requested by the system and the time the data is provided by the drive; "access time is the sum of seek time and rotational latency and command processing overhead |
| accumulator, accumulator register | computer science | a register that has a built-in adder that adds an input number to the contents of the accumulator |
| address, computer address | computer science | the code that identifies where a piece of information is stored |
| allocation | computer science | the assignment of particular areas of a magnetic disk to particular data or instructions |
| alpha test | computer science | a first test of an experimental product (such as computer software) carried out by the developer |
| American Standard Code for Information Interchange, ASCII | computer science | a code for information exchange between computers made by different companies; a string of 7 binary digits represents each character; used in most microcomputers |
| ASCII character set | computer science | 128 characters that make up the ASCII coding scheme; "the ASCII character set is the most universal character coding set |
| background, desktop, screen background | computer science | the area of the screen in graphical user interfaces against which icons and windows appear |
| backup, computer backup | computer science | a copy of a file or directory on a separate storage device; "he made a backup in case the original was accidentally damaged or erased |
| backup file | computer science | a computer file dedicated to storing and updating computer backups |
| bad block | computer science | a block (usually one sector) that cannot reliably hold data |
| baud, baud rate | computer science | a data transmission rate (bits/second) for modems |
| beta test | computer science | a second test of an experimental product (such as computer software) carried out by an outside organization |
| binary file | computer science | a computer file containing machine-readable information that must be read by an application; characters use all 8 bits of each byte |
| bits per second, bps | computer science | the rate at which data is transferred (as by a modem) |
| block | computer science | a sector or group of sectors that function as the smallest data unit permitted; "since blocks are often defined as a single sector, the terms `block' and `sector' are sometimes used interchangeably |
| buffer, buffer storage, buffer store | computer science | a part of RAM used for temporary storage of data that is waiting to be sent to a device; used to compensate for differences in the rate of flow of data between components of a computer system |
| cache, memory cache | computer science | RAM memory that is set aside as a specialized buffer storage that is continually updated; used to optimize data transfers between system elements with different characteristics |
| capacity | computer science | the amount of information (in bytes) that can be stored on a disk drive; "the capacity of a hard disk drive is usually expressed in megabytes |
| central processing unit, CPU, C.P.U., central processor, processor, mainframe | computer science | the part of a computer (a microprocessor chip) that does most of the data processing; the CPU and the memory form the central part of a computer to which the peripherals are attached |
| code, computer code | computer science | the symbolic arrangement of data or instructions in a computer program or the set of such instructions |
| command processing overhead time, command processing overhead, command overhead, overhead | computer science | the processing time required by a device prior to the execution of a command |
| compiler, compiling program | computer science | a program that decodes instructions written in a higher order language and produces an assembly language program |
| complex instruction set computing, complex instruction set computer, CISC | computer science | a kind of computer architecture that has a large number of instructions hard coded into the cpu chip |
| computer architecture, architecture | computer science | the structure and organization of a computer's hardware or system software; "the architecture of a computer's system software |
| computer file | computer science | a file maintained in computer-readable form |
| computer network | computer science | a network of computers |
| control key, command key | computer science | the key on a computer keyboard that is used (in combination with some other key) to type control characters |
| core dump | computer science | dump of the contents of the chief registers in the CPU |
| counter | computer science | a register whose contents go through a regular series of states (usually states indicating consecutive integers) |
| crash | computer science | an event that causes a computer system to become inoperative; "the crash occurred during a thunderstorm and the system has been down ever since |
| cursor, pointer | computer science | indicator consisting of a movable spot of light (an icon) on a visual display; moving the cursor allows the user to point to commands or screen positions |
| data encryption | computer science | the encryption of data for security purposes |
| data processing | computer science | a series of operations on data by a computer in order to retrieve or transform or classify information |
| data structure | computer science | the organization of data (and its storage allocations in a computer) |
| dedicated file server | computer science | a file server that can be used only as a file server |
| desktop publishing | computer science | the use of microcomputers with graphics capacity to produce printed materials |
| dialog box, panel | computer science | a small temporary window in a graphical user interface that appears in order to request information from the user; after the information has been provided the user dismisses the box with `okay' or `cancel' |
| DIP switch, dual inline package switch | computer science | one of a set of small on-off switches mounted in computer hardware; used in place of jumpers to configure the machine for a user |
| directory | computer science | a listing of the files stored in memory (usually on a hard disk) |
| disambiguator | computer science | a natural language processing application that tries to determine the intended meaning of a word or phrase by examining the linguistic context in which it is used |
| disk controller | computer science | a circuit or chip that translates commands into a form that can control a hard disk drive |
| disk file | computer science | a computer file stored on a magnetic disk and identified by a unique label |
| disk overhead, overhead | computer science | the disk space required for non-data information (used for location and timing) |
| disk pack, disc pack | computer science | a portable pack of magnetic disks used in a disk storage device |
| disk space, disc space | computer science | the space available on a magnetic disk |
| display adapter, display adaptor | computer science | an electronic device that converts information in memory to video output to a display |
| dongle | computer science | an electronic device that must be attached to a computer in order for it to use protected software |
| drive | computer science | a device that writes data onto or reads data from a storage medium |
| driver, device driver | computer science | a program that determines how a computer will communicate with a peripheral device |
| dump | computer science | a copy of the contents of a computer storage device; sometimes used in debugging programs |
| editor program, editor | computer science | a program designed to perform such editorial functions as rearrangement or modification or deletion of data |
| electronic database, on-line database, computer database, electronic information service | computer science | a database that can be accessed by computers |
| electronic mail, e-mail, email | computer science | a system of world-wide electronic communication in which a computer user can compose a message at one terminal that is generated at the recipient's terminal when he logs in |
| emulation | computer science | technique of one machine obtaining the same results as another |
| erasable programmable read-only memory, EPROM | computer science | a read-only memory chip that can be erased by ultraviolet light and programmed again with new data |
| error, computer error | computer science | the occurrence of an incorrect result produced by a computer |
| execution, instruction execution | computer science | the process of carrying out an instruction by a computer |
| execution speed | computer science | the speed with which a computational device can execute instructions; measured in MIPS |
| field | computer science | a set of one or more adjacent characters comprising a unit of information |
| file server | computer science | a digital computer that provides workstations on a network with controlled access to shared resources |
| filename, file name, computer filename, computer file name | computer science | the name given to a computer file in order to distinguish it from other files; may contain an extension that indicates the type of file |
| firewall | computing | a security system consisting of a combination of hardware and software that limits the exposure of a computer or computer network to attack from crackers; commonly used on local area networks that are connected to the internet |
| firmware, microcode | computer science | coded instructions that are stored permanently in read-only memory |
| foreground | computer science | a window for an active application |
| formatted capacity | computer science | the usable capacity of a disk drive; the amount of space that is left after the sector headings and boundary definitions and timing information have been added by formatting the disk |
| fragmentation | computer science | the condition of a file that is broken up and stored in many different locations on a magnetic disk; "fragmentation slows system performance because it takes extra time to locate and assemble the parts of the fragmented file |
| frame buffer | computer science | a buffer that stores the contents of an image pixel by pixel |
| GIGO | computer science | a rule stating that the quality of the output is a function of the quality of the input; put garbage in and you get garbage out |
| hardware, computer hardware | computer science | the mechanical, magnetic, electronic, and electrical components making up a computer system |
| head crash | computer science | a crash of a read/write head in a hard disk drive (usually caused by contact of the head with the surface of the magnetic disk) |
| high-level formatting | computer science | the format for the root directory and the file allocation tables and other basic configurations |
| icon | computer science | a graphic symbol (usually a simple picture) that denotes a program or a command or a data file or a concept in a graphical user interface |
| index register | computer science | a register used to determine the address of an operand |
| information theory | computer science | a statistical theory dealing with the limits and efficiency of information processing |
| input file, input data | computer science | a computer file that contains data that serve as input to a device or program |
| instruction, command, statement, program line | computer science | a line of code written as part of a computer program |
| interconnection | computer science | the act of interconnecting (wires or computers or theories etc.) |
| interface, port | computer science | computer circuit consisting of the hardware and associated circuitry that links one device with another (especially a computer and a hard disk drive or other peripherals) |
| interface, user interface | computer science | a program that controls a display for the user (usually on a computer monitor) and that allows the user to interact with the system |
| interoperability | computer science | the ability to exchange and use information (usually in a large heterogeneous network made up of several local area networks) |
| interpreter, interpretive program | computer science | a program that translates and executes source language statements one line at a time |
| iteration, looping | computer science | executing the same set of instructions a given number of times or until a specified result is obtained; "the solution is obtained by iteration |
| iteration, loop | computer science | a single execution of a set of instructions that are to be repeated; "the solution took hundreds of iterations |
| job | computer science | a program application that may consist of several steps but is a single logical unit |
| library, program library, subroutine library | computing | a collection of standard programs and subroutines that are stored and available for immediate use |
| light pen, electronic stylus | computer science | a pointer that when pointed at a computer display senses whether or not the spot is illuminated |
| link | computing | an instruction that connects one part of a program or an element on a list to another program or list |
| low-level formatting, initialization, initialisation | computer science | the format of sectors on the surface of a hard disk drive so that the operating system can access them and setting a starting position |
| magnetic core | computer science | a doughnut-shaped magnet formerly used to store one bit of information in the main memory of a computer; now superseded by semiconductor memories |
| magnetic disk, magnetic disc, disk, disc | computer science | a memory device consisting of a flat disk covered with a magnetic coating on which information is stored |
| master file, main file | computer science | a computer file that is used as the authority in a given job and that is relatively permanent |
| megaflop, MFLOP, million floating point operations per second | computer science | a unit for measuring the speed of a computer system |
| menu, computer menu | computer science | a list of options available to a computer user |
| MIPS, million instructions per second | computer science | a unit for measuring the execution speed of a computer's CPU (but not the whole system); "4 MIPS is 4,000,000 instructions per second |
| node, client, guest | computer science | any computer that is hooked up to a computer network |
| non-dedicated file server | computer science | a file server that can be used simultaneously as a workstation |
| object-oriented programming language, object-oriented programing language | computer science | a programming language that enables the programmer to associate a set of procedures with each type of data structure; "C++ is an object-oriented programming language that is an extension of C |
| operating system, OS | computer science | software that controls the execution of computer programs and may provide various services |
| operation | computer science | data processing in which the result is completely specified by a rule (especially the processing that results from a single instruction); "it can perform millions of operations per second |
| output file | computer science | a computer file that contains data that are the output of a device or program |
| packet | computer science | a message or message fragment |
| parity bit, parity, check bit | computer science | abit that is used in an error detection procedure in which a 0 or 1 is added to each group of bits so that it will have either an odd number of 1's or an even number of 1's; e.g., if the parity is odd then any group of bits that arriv |
| partition | computer science | the part of a hard disk that is dedicated to a particular operating system or application and accessed as a single unit |
| peripheral, computer peripheral, peripheral device | computer science | electronic equipment connected by cable to the CPU of a computer; "disk drives and printers are important peripherals |
| pixel, pel, picture element | computer science | the smallest discrete component of an image or picture on a CRT screen (usually a colored dot); "the greater the number of pixels per inch the greater the resolution |
| power user | computing | a computer user who needs the fastest and most powerful computers available |
| printer | computer science | an output device that prints the results of data processing |
| program, programme, computer program, computer programme | computer science | a sequence of instructions that a computer can interpret and execute; "the program required several hundred lines of code |
| programming language, programing language | computer science | a language designed for programming computers |
| prompt, command prompt | computer science | a symbol that appears on the computer screen to indicate that the computer is ready to receive a command |
| protocol, communications protocol | computer science | rules determining the format and transmission of data |
| RAM disk | computer science | a virtual drive that is created by setting aside part of the random-access memory to use as if it were a group of sectors; "access to a RAM disk is very fast but the data it contains is lost when the system is turned off |
| read/write head, head | computer science | a tiny electromagnetic coil and metal pole used to write and read magnetic patterns on a disk |
| read-only file | computer science | a file that you can read but cannot change |
| read-only memory, ROM, read-only storage, fixed storage | computer science | memory whose contents can be accessed and read but cannot be changed |
| real time | computer science | the time it takes for a process under computer control to occur |
| reduced instruction set computing, reduced instruction set computer, RISC | computer science | a kind of computer architecture that has a relatively small set of computer instructions that it can perform |
| register | computer science | memory device that is the part of computer memory that has a specific address and that is used to hold information of a specific kind |
| resolution | computer science | the number of pixels per square inch on a computer-generated display; the greater the resolution, the better the picture |
| retrieval | computer science | the operation of accessing information from the computer's memory |
| rotary actuator, positioner | computer science | the actuator that moves a read/write head to the proper data track |
| rotational latency, latency | computer science | the time it takes for a specific block of data on a data track to rotate around to the read/write head |
| router | computer science | a device that forwards data packets between computer networks |
| run-time | computer science | the length of time it takes to execute a software program |
| scratchpad | computer science | a high-speed internal memory used for temporary storage of preliminary information |
| screen saver | computer science | a moving design that appears on a computer screen when there has been no input for a specified period of time; "screen savers prevent the damage that occurs when the same areas of light and dark are displayed too long |
| security system | computing | a system that enforces boundaries between computer networks |
| seek time | computer science | the time it takes for a read/write head to move to a specific data track |
| server, host | computer science | a computer that provides client stations with access to files and printers as shared resources to a computer network |
| shift register | computer science | register in which all bits can be shifted one or more positions to the left or to the right |
| simulation, computer simulation | computer science | the technique of representing the real world by a computer program; "a simulation should imitate the internal processes and not merely the results of the thing being simulated |
| software, software system, software package, package | computer science | written programs or procedures or rules and associated documentation pertaining to the operation of a computer system and that are stored in read/write memory; "the market for software is expected to expand |
| standard generalized markup language, SGML | computer science | a standardized language for the descriptive markup of documents; a set of rules for using whatever markup vocabulary is adopted |
| storage | computer science | the process of storing information in a computer memory or on a magnetic tape or disk |
| subdirectory | computer science | a directory that is listed in another directory |
| teraflop, trillion floating point operations per second | computer science | a unit for measuring the speed of a computer system |
| terminal emulation | computer science | having a computer act exactly like a terminal |
| text editor | computer science | an application that can be used to create and view and edit text files |
| text file, document | computer science | a computer file that contains text (and possibly formatting instructions) using 7-bit ASCII characters |
| time sharing | computer science | the use of a central computer by many users simultaneously |
| track, data track | computer science | one of the circular magnetic paths on a magnetic disk that serve as a guide for writing and reading data |
| track-to-track seek time | computer science | the time it takes for a read/write head to move to an adjacent data track |
| transaction file, detail file | computer science | a computer file containing relatively transient data about a particular data processing task |
| unformatted capacity | computer science | the total number of bytes on a disk including the space that will be required to format it |
| utility program, utility, service program | computer science | a program designed for general support of the processes of a computer; "a computer system provides utility programs to perform the tasks needed by most users |
| virtual memory, virtual storage | computer science | memory created by using the hard disk to simulate additional random-access memory; the addressable storage space available to the user of a computer system in which virtual addresses are mapped into real addresses |
| window | computer science | a rectangular part of a computer screen that contains a display different from the rest of the screen |