denoting or relating to a data-processing system in which a computer receives constantly changing data, such as information relating to air-traffic control, travel booking systems, etc, and processes it sufficiently rapidly to be able to control the source of the data
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
ˈre•al ˈtime, n. [uncountable]
adj.
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025- Computingthe actual time during which a process or event occurs.
adj.
- Computingof or relating to computer applications or processes that can respond immediately to user input.
re′al time′
(rē′əl, rēl),USA pronunciation
re•al-time (rē′əl tīm′, rēl′-),USA pronunciation adj. [Computers.]
- Computingthe actual time elapsed in the performance of a computation by a computer, the result of the computation being required for the continuation of a physical process.
- Computingthe actual time during which a process takes place or an event occurs.
- in real time, [Informal.]at once;
instantaneously.
- 1950–55
re•al-time (rē′əl tīm′, rēl′-),USA pronunciation adj. [Computers.]
- Computingof or pertaining to applications in which the computer must respond as rapidly as required by the user or necessitated by the process being controlled.
'real-time' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):