This page gathers the 9,098 dictionary entries belonging to the domain “Engineering”, as labelled by Wiktionary. Each word leads to its full entry: definitions, etymology, pronunciation, examples. Page 18 of 91: from “constant time” to “corruption”.
- constant time noun An algorithm, also written as O(1) time) where the value of T(n) (the complexity of the algorithm) is bounded by a value that does not…
- constant-speed propeller noun A type of propeller that rotates at a set rotational velocity, but whose power is set by varying the pitch of the blades.
- constant-velocity joint noun A mechanical coupling which allows the shafts to rotate freely and compensates for the angle between the two shafts, within a certain…
- constellation noun A fleet of satellites used for the same purpose.
- constraint noun A linkage or other restriction that maintains database integrity.
- constraint cluster noun a cluster of data points in a set conforming to the must-link and cannot-link constraints specified for each pair of data points
- constringence noun A measure of a material's dispersion (variation of refractive index with wavelength) in relation to the refractive index.
- construction language noun A programming language that is used to write actual software applications, in contrast to a language used mainly for specification…
- constructive interference noun When two or more waves overlap, and their crests or troughs align, adding together to create a single, larger wave with a greater amplitude…
- contact noun A device designed for repetitive connections.
- contact shot noun A gunshot executed in such a way that the muzzle of the firearm is in direct contact with a body at the moment of discharge.
- container noun A file format that can hold various types of data.
- containerization noun Software virtualization at the level of the operating system.
- containerize verb To run an application in a software container.
- content management system noun A computer software system for organizing and facilitating collaborative creation of documents and other content, especially for loading to…
- content wrangling noun All the various tasks associated with content management systems, especially the preparation of documents for posting on a website.
- contention noun Competition by parts of a system or its users for a limited resource.
- context noun The data (register contents, program counter value, etc.) needed to switch to another thread of execution.
- context-free grammar noun A formal grammar in which every production rule is such that the left-hand side is exactly one non-terminal symbol and the right-hand side…
- context-sensitive adj Sensitive to context; exhibiting different behaviour depending on a task or situation.
- continuation noun A representation of an execution state of a program at a certain point in time, which may be used at a later time to resume the execution…
- continuation-passing style noun A style of programming in which every user function f takes an extra argument c known as a continuation. Whenever f would normally return a…
- continuous delivery noun An approach where teams produce software in short cycles, ensuring that the software can be reliably released at any time.
- continuous delivery pipeline noun An automated series of steps that moves software code from the development stage through building, testing, and deployment to a production…
- continuous variable valve timing noun A system allowing for the perpetual adjustment of valve timing in an engine in order to optimize it for all engine speeds and conditions.
- continuum mechanics noun A branch of mechanics that deals with the deformation of and transmission of forces through materials modeled as a continuous medium rather…
- contrast ratio noun ratio of the luminance of white to that of black of a display. A higher value means a higher contrast of white and black.
- contravariance noun A functor which reverses composition.
- contravariant adj Which reverses the order of morphism composition: formally, which associates each morphism f:X→Y to a morphism F(f):F(Y)→F(X).
- contravariant functor noun A functor which maps a morphism f:X → Y to a morphism F(f):F(Y) → F(X), such that if h=g∘f, then F(h)=F(f)∘F(g).
- control noun An interface element that a computer user interacts with, such as a window or a text box.
- control bus noun A part of the system bus that is used by CPUs for communicating with other devices within the computer.
- control character noun A character which does not have a direct visual appearance as a glyph, but rather causes some other action to occur, such as a transition…
- control code noun A numeric value or string of such values that triggers a specific command or action to occur, rather than displaying a text character.
- control coupling noun A form of coupling where one module controls the flow of another by passing information on what to do.
- control flow noun The order in which individual statements, instructions or function calls of an imperative program are executed or evaluated.
- control key noun A key on a personal computer or terminal keyboard used in combination to modify the function of other keys.
- control panel noun A computer display offering a number of controls or options.
- control plane noun The part of a network that handling network topology and signalling, as opposed to the parts carying user traffic.
- control point noun Any of a series of points defining the shape of a curve, etc.
- control surface noun A moveable surface attached to a machine such as an aircraft or submarine that can be used to control the machine's motion in roll, pitch…
- control tower noun An airport building from which the air traffic control unit monitors and directs the movement of aircraft on and around the airport.
- control unit noun The part of a central processing unit that directs its operation, converting instructions stored in memory into signals that determine the…
- control wheel noun Synonym of stick (“a wheel-like control mechanism with a handgrip on opposite sides, similar to the steering wheel of an automobile”).
- control-flow graph noun A representation, using graph notation, of all paths that might be traversed through a program during its execution.
- controlled flight into terrain noun A usually-unintentional crash of an aircraft in which the aircraft flies into the ground while under full control by its pilots or…
- controlled variable time noun A type of artillery fuze that has a mechanical timer which activates the radar when it is near the target.
- controlled vocabulary noun A carefully selected set of terms, such as words and phrases, such that each concept from the domain of discourse is described using only…
- controller noun Any electric or mechanical device for controlling a circuit or system.
- conventional adj Pertaining to a weapon which is not a weapon of mass destruction.
- converge verb (said of an iterative process) To reach a stable end point.
- conversation noun The protocol-based interaction between systems processing a transaction.
- conversational adj Involving a two-way exchange of messages, such as between a client and a server.
- conversion noun A software product converted from one platform to another.
- converter noun A device that changes voltage or frequency, for example one that converts alternating current to direct current.
- convertible noun A computer able to convert from laptop to tablet and back again.
- convex function noun A mathematical function where the line segment between any two points on the graph of the function lies above the graph in a vector space…
- convex lens noun A lens having at least one convex surface, such that light passing through it may be brought to a focus.
- convolution noun A function which maps a tuple of sequences into a sequence of tuples.
- convolve verb To compute the convolution function
- coobservable adj Of a behaviour in a distributed system: such that decisions can be made by each site based on what it observes, without the need for input…
- cook noun The member of a hot-rivetting team who heats the rivets in a brazier, see rivet.
- cooked adj Corrupted by conversion through a text format, requiring uncooking to be properly listenable.
- cookie verb To send a cookie to (a user, computer, etc.).
- cookie licking noun The act of claiming a project or idea for oneself, discouraging others from working on it, but then never finishing it.
- cookieless adj Without the use of HTTP cookies.
- Cooper vane noun A mechanical aerodynamic wedge that prevents the ventral airstair of an aircraft from being lowered during flight.
- cooperative game noun Informally, a game formalized using a function (called the characteristic function) that assigns to each coalition of players a real number…
- copartition noun A partition of data streams such that the data in each of the streams has the same partition configuration.
- copier noun A program or process that copies.
- coprocessor noun An additional microprocessor used to supplement the functionality of the central processing unit, performing tasks such as floating-point…
- copy verb To place a copy of an object in memory for later use.
- copy elision noun An optimisation technique where a value is transferred to the final target address, instead of being copied and then destroyed.
- copy-on-write proxy noun A proxy that controls the copying of an object by deferring the copy until it is required by a client.
- copy-paste noun The action of duplicating (text, an object, etc.) by copying it and later pasting somewhere else.
- copy-pasto noun An error caused by incorrect copy-pasting, often resulting in unintended text (or other content) being inserted.
- copybook noun A series of instructions or data definitions copied into multiple programs from a shared library; boilerplate.
- copyparty noun An event where people meet to swap software (often pirated copies of commercial releases), a forerunner of the demoparty.
- copypasta noun Code or documentation that has been copied and pasted, often erroneously.
- Cordership noun A class of engineered spaceships in Conway's Game of Life based on the switch engine that move at a speed of c/12 diagonally.
- core noun The set of feasible allocations that cannot be improved upon by a subset (a coalition) of the economy's agents.
- core dump noun The recorded state of the memory of a computer program at a specific time, generally when the program has terminated abnormally.
- core lock noun Seizure of a turbine engine due to misalignment and loss of clearance between stationary and rotating components, caused by different…
- core loss noun Energy lost by hysteresis, eddy currents, or other anomalies in the core of an electrical device such as an armature, inductor…
- core memory noun A type of non-volatile random-access rewritable electronic memory using ferrite cores to magnetically store binary digits (bits).
- core print noun A projecting piece on a pattern which forms, in the mould, an impression for holding in place or steadying a core.
- core switch noun A high-capacity switch usually at the core or backbone of a computer network, aggregating network traffic to the Internet or a WAN.
- coreset noun A small set of points that approximates the shape of a larger point set, in the sense that applying some geometric measure to the two sets…
- corn noun Bullets, ammunition, and charge and discharge of firearms.
- Cornell box noun A physical box with variously coloured walls and an inner light source, photographed and used to gauge the accuracy of a computer rendering…
- corner case noun A problem or situation that occurs only when two or more operating parameters are at extreme values, or when two or more unusual operating…
- corona noun A luminous appearance caused by corona discharge, often seen as a bluish glow in the air adjacent to pointed metal conductors carrying high…
- corona discharge noun The ionization of air (or any other fluid) surrounding an electrically energized conductor, as a result of a strong electric field.
- coroutine noun A piece of code that performs a task, and that can be passed new input and return output more than once.
- corpus linguistics noun A branch of linguistics that studies large samples (corpora) of real-world text, usually with the aid of computer software.
- correctness noun The state of an algorithm that correctly mirrors its specification.
- correlator noun A type of device used to compare two signals
- corrugated lens noun A type of lens where concentric portions are cut out from the surface to lessen the weight without affecting the focal power.
- corrupted adj Containing errors.
- corruption noun The destruction of data by manipulation of parts of it, either by deliberate or accidental human action or by imperfections in storage or…