Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
name
An operating system that shares the original source code by Dennis Ritchie and Ken Thompson.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
name
An operating system largely compatible with Unix that qualifies for use of the UNIX trademark, currently owned by The Open Group.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
name
Alternative letter-case form of Unix.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: alt-of
Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences, software
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Any of the above plus Unix-like operating systems similar to Unix but not qualifying for use of the UNIX trademark.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: informal
Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Alternative form of Unix.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: alt-of, alternative
Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences, software
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
trademark for a powerful operating system
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: UNIX system, UNIX operating system
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: operating system, OS
Narrower terms: Linux
History
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *mel-der. Proto-Indo-European *ml̥tós? Proto-Italic *moltos Latin multi- Proto-Indo-European *pel-der.? Latin -plex Latin multiplexlbor. English multiplexed Proto-Indo-European *h1én Proto-Italic *en Proto-Italic *en- Latin in- Ancient Greek μορφή (morphḗ)der.? Latin fōrma Latin fōrmō Latin īnfōrmō Proto-Indo-European *-tis Proto-Indo-European *-Hō Proto-Indo-European *-tiHō Proto-Italic *-tiō Latin -tiō Late Latin īnfōrmātiōder. Middle English enformacioun English information Proto-Indo-European *ḱe? Proto-Indo-European *ḱóm Proto-Italic *kom Proto-Italic *kom- Latin con- Latin com- Latin putus Proto-Indo-European *-h2 Proto-Indo-European *-éh2 Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Indo-European *-eh2yéti Proto-Indo-European *-h2tiinflu. Proto-Italic *-ājō Proto-Italic *-āō Latin -ō Latin putō Latin computō Latin computārelbor. French computerbor. English computing Proto-Indo-European *ser-der.? Proto-Italic *serwos Latin servus Proto-Indo-European *-(i)yós Proto-Italic *-ijos Proto-Italic *-ios Old Latin -ios Latin -ius Latin -ia Latin -itia Latin servitiumbor. Old French servisebor. Old English serfis Middle English servise English service English Multiplexed Information and Computing Service English Multics ▲ English eunuchinflu. English Unix A pun on Multics to sound like eunuchs, as Unix was considered to be an emasculated Multics (see multi- and uni-). Likely coined by Canadian computer scientist Brian Kernighan in 1970.
Across languages
25 source translations are retained for this English entry.
