multiprocessingn.
/ˌmʌltɪˈprəʊsɛsɪŋ/, U.S. /ˌməltiˈprɑsəsɪŋ/, /ˌməltiˈprɑˌsɛsɪŋ/; see also multi- comb. form. Computing.
Processing by a number of processors sharing a common memory and common peripherals.
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society > computing and information technology > hardware > [noun] > central processing unit > ways of processing
interleaving1956
multiprocessing1961
parallelism1961
multitasking1966
interleave1967
microprocessing1974
1961 Communications ACM 4 421/1 Multiprocessing is defined here as the sharing of a common memory and all peripheral equipment by two or more processor units.
1967 N. S. M. Cox & M. W. Grose Organization Bibliogr. Rec. by Computer ii. 47 The decision as to whether to run the composing machine on-line or off-line will..depend upon..what multiprocessing facilities are available.
1985 Pract. Computing May 12/2 (advt.) Rather than slow time-sharing micros or expensive networked PC's more and more companies are choosing multi-processing to meet their multi-user requirements.
1990 Managem. Computing Nov. 5/2 Traditional mainframes seem to be on the way out as microprocessors and multi-processing take over.
This entry has been updated (OED Third Edition, March 2003; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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n.1961