operating system

noun

: software that controls the operation of a computer and directs the processing of programs (as by assigning storage space in memory and controlling input and output functions)

Examples of operating system in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Tools like Tails create a more private operating system that runs from a USB and routes traffic through Tor Browser, which masks your IP address — good for anonymous publishing. —Jennifer Lutz, New York Daily News, 19 Feb. 2026

Naru Force will treat 2026 as a proof of concept year, investing in its core platform, operating system and AI tech infrastructure ahead of a funding round the following year. —Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 17 Feb. 2026

The flaw, tracked as CVE-2026-20700, affects multiple Apple operating systems. —Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 17 Feb. 2026

Android users accused Google of programming its Android operating system to collect their cellular data without permission in a class action lawsuit filed in federal court in the Northern District of California. —Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 16 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1961, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for operating system

• cryptosystem
• ecosystem
• intersystem
• multisystem
• photosystem
• subsystem

Kids Definition

operating system

noun

: software that controls the operation of a computer and directs the processing of the user's programs (as by controlling input and output functions)