latency
/ˈleɪtənsi/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈleɪtənsi/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈlā-tᵊn(t)-sē/ (ame, mw)
latency — noun
1. the short pause between asking a computer or network to do something and that ac
the short pause between asking a computer or network to do something and that action actually happening, usually measured in milliseconds
Online gamers in rural Vietnam often complain about high latency during fast-paced matches.
collocation: high latency
Takeshi upgraded the router so the family video calls would have lower latency.
collocation: lower latency
Stock traders pay extra for cables that cut network latency by a few milliseconds.
The new game server in Tokyo reduced average latency for players across East Asia.
Engineers measured the latency between the satellite and the ground station in Brazil.
- lag
informal everyday word for the same delay; common in gaming chat
- delay
general term; latency specifies the response time of a system
- response time
engineering term; emphasises how long the system takes to react
- responsiveness
the positive quality of low latency
文法句型
high/low latency
network latency
用法筆記
Almost always uncountable and almost always paired with high/low or with a precise time figure. Subject is usually a system, connection, or signal — not a person.
常見錯誤
2. the quality of something that already exists inside a person, group, or organism
the quality of something that already exists inside a person, group, or organism but stays hidden until the right conditions wake it up — for example a sleeping virus or an unspoken talent
Doctors warned Élise about the long latency of the chickenpox virus inside her nerve cells.
pattern: the latency of [a virus/condition]
The painting hints at the quiet latency of grief beneath the family's smiling faces.
abstract: latency of [emotion]
Coaches in Senegal look for signs of latency in untrained young runners.
Researchers in Cape Town are studying the latency of HIV inside resting immune cells.
- dormancy
sleeping state, especially of plants, animals, or viruses
- potentiality
philosophical or literary; an existing but unused capacity
- activity
the visible, working state opposite to hidden latency
文法句型
the latency of X
remain in latency
用法筆記
Formal and abstract; appears most often in medical, scientific, or literary writing. Distinct from sense 1, which is always about timing in a system. Often follows 'the' + adjective.
常見錯誤
3. in psychology and biology, the short gap between a signal and the body's first r
in psychology and biology, the short gap between a signal and the body's first reaction to it — for example, how quickly a muscle moves after a nerve fires
Aarav recorded the latency between the flashing light and each child's button press.
pattern: latency between [stimulus] and [response]
Researchers in Lagos found a longer latency in sleep-deprived test subjects.
comparative: longer latency
Tired drivers show a slower reaction latency when the brake lights ahead suddenly flash.
Marta measured the latency of the frog's leg muscle after a small electrical pulse.
- reaction time
the everyday term for the same idea outside the lab
- response time
engineering term used when measuring people or machines
文法句型
response latency
latency of N milliseconds
用法筆記
Restricted to scientific writing about reflexes, reaction times, or nerve signals. Subject is usually a person, an animal, or a body tissue. Often used with a precise time figure such as 'a latency of 200 milliseconds'.