1000+ Glossary of Computer Terms & Definition PDF & MCQ Quiz

New 999+ Computer Terms & Definitions (A-Z) Glossary Based Computer Knowledge MCQ Online Test & Download PDF For All Competitive Exams Part-3/3#Blog-34

Feb 03, 2022, By Careericons

A glossary of basic computer terminology helps candidates know about the meanings & definitions, which is very useful in preparing for any kind of competitive exam. By using them you can score high in the examination.

Computers are an essential part of every part of human life. A computer includes various concepts, terms, and terminologies to know & learn about their various new technologies. Using this computer terminology with definitions and you can develop the computer vocabulary; understanding various computer technologies functions to build your computer knowledge.

A computer encyclopedia or computer glossary can provide commonly used terms, abbreviations and support your learning about computer science for your exam preparation.

In this article, we will look at the most basic computer terminology with all the basic information you are needed and very useful for any competitive exams preparation. Like SSC, IBPS, RRB, Railway, UPSC & any other Government & Private IT Exams. This is one of the most important frequently asked topics in the Computer Awareness section for various examinations.

Also read, Computer Awareness Study Notes [Free PDF] - With Multiple Choice Questions With Solved Answer Key,

computer-awarness-mcq-online-test-and-quiz-pdf

Following are some more commonly used, complete Computer related Vocabulary (Word Bank)  that are given in alphabetical order (A-Z) as in dictionary format, that you may have heard but do not know exactly what they mean for.

Also, Get multiple choice question (MCQ) prcatice online test & live quiz to check your knowledge. Download individual PDFs for All Glossary of Computer Terminology with Their Meanings.

Glossary of all Computer Terms / Terminologies starting words with “N” Dictionary with Definitions for All Competitive Exams & Download PDF

List of most commonly used Computer Hardware, Software & Application related Basic Computer Terminologies / Terms based words starting with "N".

Let us learn everything,

S.No Terms/ Terminologies Definitions
228 Nanosecond One billionth (10-9) of a second.
229 Network Two or more computer systems are connected together in order to share resources. It is an interconnection of two or more two computers.
230 Network Interface Card (NIC) A chip-based circuit board is used to connect the PC to a network or server. The card is activated by loading software on the PC. This is a part of the computer that allows it to talk to other computers via a network protocol like TCP/IP.
231 Nibble A sequence of four adjacent bits, or a half-byte. A hexadecimal or BCD coded digit can be represented by a nibble.
232 Node The endpoint of a network branch or the junction of two or more branches.
233 Non-impact printer A non-impact printer is a printer that prints without banging a ribbon onto paper such as a thermal, inkjet and laser printer.
234 Non-volatile memory A memory where stored data remain undisturbed by the removal of electrical power.
235 Non-volatile storage A storage medium that retains its contents even in the absence of power.
236 Notebook A portable computer, that can fit into a briefcase. It is used as a personal computer. It is also called a laptop.
237 NTFS New Technology File System is a type of file system that provides improved fault tolerance over the traditional file system, and also provides file-level security.
238 Number systems Sets of values are used to represent quantity.

Glossary of all Computer Terms / Terminologies starting words with “O” Dictionary with Definitions for All Competitive Exams & Download PDF

List of most commonly used Computer Hardware, Software & Application related Basic Computer Terminologies / Terms based words starting with "O".

Let us learn everything,

S.No Terms/ Terminologies Definitions
239 Object Something that contains both the data and the application that operate on that data.
240 Offline It refers to the state in which a computer is temporarily or permanently unable to communicate with another computer.
241 Online It refers to the state of being connected to the networked computer system or the Internet.
242 Operating system The program performs all of the system tasks and provides an environment in which other programs can be run. A set of instructions that tells a computer how to operate when it is turned ON. It sets up a filing system to store files and tells the computer how to display information on a video display.
243 Optical Character Reader (OCR) An input device that can read characters directly from an ordinary piece of paper by using a scanning mechanism. These characters are written in a special type font.
244 OSI Open System Interconnection model is an ISO standard that defines a networking structure for implementing protocols in seven layers to transfer data.
245 Output Data that come out of a computer device. Patch A small program that improves an existing piece of software or corrects an error in it.

New 5000+ Computer Acronyms & Full Forms MCQ Online Quiz for all competitive exams & IT Interviews

Glossary of all Computer Terms / Terminologies starting words with “P” Dictionary with Definitions for All Competitive Exams & Download PDF

List of most commonly used Computer Hardware, Software & Application related Basic Computer Terminologies / Terms based words starting with "P".

Let us learn everything,

S.No Terms/ Terminologies Definitions
246 Packet One piece of data along with a destination address is used in a packet switching network.
247 Password A code by which a user gains access to a computer system.
248 PDA Personal Digital Assistant describes a handheld, multifunction electronics device capable of combining cellular phone service, fax and personal organizer abilities together. Most PDAs use a stylus to enter data, necessitating the use of handwriting recognition technology.
249 Peer to peer In peer to peer communication, both computers perform processing of data at both ends, not just input and output.
250 Peripheral Any device in a computer system that is not essential to the operation of the computer.
251 Personal computer (PC) A single-user computer containing a Central Processing Unit (CPU) and one or more memory circuits. Piracy The illegal copying of software or other creative works.
252 Picosecond One trillionth of a second.
253 Pixel The picture element is the smallest part of a graphic image. Many pixels close together to make up the image on the computer monitor. An acronym derived from picture element. The smallest element (a dot) on a display screen.
254 Plug-in This is a program that your browser uses to manipulate a downloaded file.
255 Pop Post Office Protocol is a protocol used by e-mail clients on a network to retrieve e-mail from the mail servers. Also see Protocol, E-Mail, Client, Server and Network.
256 Port An interface on the computer where a device is connected.
257 Portrait A term that designates the position of conventional printing across the width of a page.
258 Post office protocol (pop) A protocol that specifies how a personal computer can connect to a mail server on the Internet and download E-mail.
259 Primary key It is a key that uniquely identifies each tuple or row in a table.
260 Primary memory A section of the CPU that holds program instructions, input data, intermediate results and output information produces during processing. It is also known as primary storage, internal storage and main memory.
261 Printer An output device is used to produce the hard copy of computer output that is readable by human beings. A mechanical device for printing a computer's output on paper.
262 Printer memory A specialized type of memory that can be installed in a printer will increase its capabilities.
263 Process A collection of code, data and other system resources including at least one thread of execution that performs a data processing task.
264 Program It is a set of instructions used to direct and control the operations of the computer in order to solve a problem or to perform a particular task. It is also known as routine. A set of instructions to perform a specific task.
265 Programming language A vocabulary and set of grammatical rules for instructing a computer to perform specific tasks.
266 PROM Programmable ROM is a type of ROM that can be programmed using special equipment and can be written only once.
267 Prompt One or more symbols are used by the computer to indicate if it's ready for data input from a user.
268 Protocol A set of rules by which computers communicate. A protocol is much like the syntax of a language rather than the language itself. A set of rules defines exactly how information is to be exchanged between two systems over the Internet.
269 Pseudocode It is a shorthand way of describing a computer program.
270 PVC Polyvinyl Chloride is the material out of which the jacket on non-plenum grade cable is made.

Top 5000+ Computer Acronyms & Full Forms MCQ Live Test for all competitive exams & IT Interviews

Glossary of all Computer Terms / Terminologies starting words with “Q” Dictionary with Definitions for All Competitive Exams & Download PDF

List of most commonly used Computer Hardware, Software & Application related Basic Computer Terminologies / Terms based words starting with "Q".

Let us learn everything,

S.No Terms/ Terminologies Definitions
271 QBE "Query By Example" is a feature included with various database applications which provides a user-friendly method of running database queries.
272 Quad-core The processor with four processing cores.
273 Query A request for information from a database.
274 Quicktime Multimedia Technology developed by Apple Computers.
275 QWERTY A standard (Latin alphabet-based) keyboard. The first 6 keys in this keyboard are Q, W, E, R, T and Y and hence called as QWERTY Keyboard.

Top 20,000+ COMPUTER AWARENESS Memory Based Practice MCQ Exercises For All Competitive Exams & IT Interviews

Glossary of all Computer Terms / Terminologies starting words with “R” Dictionary with Definitions for All Competitive Exams & Download PDF

List of most commonly used Computer Hardware, Software & Application related Basic Computer Terminologies / Terms based words starting with "R".

Let us learn everything,

S.No Terms/ Terminologies Definitions
276 Random Access Memory (RAM) A volatile, semiconductor storage structure that accesses temporary data with a random or direct accessing method. Data in this memory can be read by the CPU directly. Random Access Memory is computer memory that can be accessed randomly, that is, any byte of memory can be accessed without touching the preceding byte.
277 Read-Only Memory (ROM) A semiconductor memory whose data cannot be erased, or overwritten; can only be accessed (read) for use by the CPU.
278 Record A collection of all the information pertaining to a particular entity instance.
279 Register A temporary storage unit for quick, direct accessibility of a small amount of data for processing.
280 Remote server A network computer that allows a user on the network from a distant location to access information.
281 Ring network A computer network in which there is no host computer for controlling other computers and in which all stations are equal.
282 ROM Read-Only Memory is a type of memory prerecorded on a chip that can only be read. This type of memory retains its contents without electricity.
283 Root directory The uppermost directory in a file system.
284 Router A network device that enables the network to reroute messages it receives that are intended for other networks. The network with the router receives the message and sends it on its way exactly as received.
285 Routing The process of choosing the best path throughout the LAN.

Glossary of all Computer Terms / Terminologies starting words with “S” Dictionary with Definitions for All Competitive Exams & Download PDF

List of most commonly used Computer Hardware, Software & Application related Basic Computer Terminologies / Terms based words starting with "S".

Let us learn everything,

S.No Terms/ Terminologies Definitions
286 Scanner An electronic device that uses light-sensing equipment to scan paper images such as text, photos, illustrations and translate the images into signals that the computer can then store, modify, or distribute.
287 SDRAM Synchronous Dynamic Random Access Memory is a memory type that synchronizes itself with the CPU's bus to provide faster transfer rates than standard DRAM.
288 Search engine

A type of program that seeks out and indexes documents from the World Wide Web and USENET groups based on specific criteria or "Key Words".

An example is Google. Software that makes it possible to look for and retrieve information on the Internet, particularly the Web. Some popular search engines are AltaVista, Google, HotBot, Yahoo!, Web Crawler and Lycos.

289 Sector A section of a recording track on a magnetic disk.
290 Security The issues of protecting data from unauthorized use, tampering, or destruction are collectively referred to as security issues.
291 Segment The fragments of a physical record are arranged in a hierarchical fashion.
292 Sequential access It is a class of data storage devices that reads stored data in a sequence.
293 Server A computer or device on a network that manages network resources. A computer that shares its resources and information with other computers on a network.
294 Shareware A software that is not free but is available for a free trial period.
295 Simplex Transmission of data in one direction only. Software The set of computer programs, procedures and associated documentation related to the effective operation.
296 Softcopy Computer output is displayed on the screen.
297 Software Any type of data or instructions can be stored electronically.
298 Source code (source program) A set of computer instructions in hard-copy or stored form.
299 Spam Irrelevant or unsolicited messages are sent over the Internet, typically to large numbers of users, for the purpose of advertising, phishing, spreading malware, etc.
300 Spooling It is a technique used to reduce the speed mismatch between slow speed I/O devices and fast CPU.
301 Spreadsheet / Spreadsheet software Software for arranging values with a defined relationship with each other. allows one to calculate numbers in a format that is similar to pages in a conventional ledger.
302 SQL Abbreviations of the structured query language. It is a relational data access language created by IBM.
303 Sram Static RAM is a type of RAM that holds its data without being refreshed, for as long as power is supplied to the circuit.
304 Standard An accepted format is approved by the recognized organisation to define certain aspects of an industry.
305 Star network A network has a central host computer system that is attached to local computers through multiple communication lines.
306 Static ram It is a type of RAM, that contains its contents only whenever the current supply is ON. Sub Program A particular part of a program that completes the special work.
307 Supercomputer The largest mainframe computer featuring exceptionally high-speed operation while manipulating huge amounts of information.
308 System software A set of one or more programs designed to control the operation of a computer system.

Glossary of all Computer Terms / Terminologies starting words with “T” Dictionary with Definitions for All Competitive Exams & Download PDF

List of most commonly used Computer Hardware, Software & Application related Basic Computer Terminologies / Terms based words starting with "T".

Let us learn everything,

S.No Terms/ Terminologies Definitions
309 TCP/IP (transmission control protocol/internet protocol) Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol is the suite of communication protocols used to connect hosts on the Internet. This is a large grouping of programs and standards that govern how information moves around the Internet.
310 Telecommunication Transmission of data between the computer systems and/or terminals at different locations through telephone facilities.
311 Terabyte (TB) It is about a trillion bytes. Actually, it's 2 40 or 10095111627776 bytes. Terminal This is what you look at when you are on the Internet. It's your computer screen.
312 Time-sharing It refers to the allocation of computer resources in a time-dependent fashion to run several programs simultaneously.
313 Topology The shape of a communication system such as LAN. The structure of the network includes physical connections such as wiring schemes and logical interactions between network devices.
314 Trackball Input devise that controls the position of the cursor on the screen.
315 Twisted-pair A type of cabling used for data and voice communication that consists of pairs of copper wires twisted inside an outer jacket.

Glossary of all Computer Terms / Terminologies starting words with “U” Dictionary with Definitions for All Competitive Exams & Download PDF

List of most commonly used Computer Hardware, Software & Application related Basic Computer Terminologies / Terms based words starting with "U".

Let us learn everything,

S.No Terms/ Terminologies Definitions
316 Uniform resource locator (URL) The specific Internet address for a resource such as an individual or an organisation.
317 Univac It is an Abbreviation of Universal Automatic computer. It is the first commercially available computer.
318 Unix UNIpleXed Information and Computing System is a multi-user, multitasking operating system designed to be used exclusively by programmers. This is an operating system developed by AT & T. It is a big push that allows one server to serve many different end-users at one time.
319 Upgrade The process of improving hardware and software functionality.
320 Upload The processes of transferring information from a computer to a Website (or other remote location on a network).
321 UPS (universal power supply or uninterruptible power supply) An electrical power supply that includes a battery to provide enough power to a computer during an outage to back-up data and properly shut down.
322 Url Uniform Resource Locator is the global addressing system for the World Wide Web. The first part of the address indicates what protocol to use, and the second part specifies the IP address where the resource is located.
323 USB Universal Serial Bus is an external bus standard that can connect up to 127 USB devices at transfer rates of up to 180 Mbps.
324 Usenet A worldwide bulletin board system that can be accessed through the Internet.
325 User A person who uses or operates something.
326 User-friendly A software program that has been designed to easily direct the user through the operation or application of a program.

Glossary of all Computer Terms / Terminologies starting words with “V” Dictionary with Definitions for All Competitive Exams & Download PDF

List of most commonly used Computer Hardware, Software & Application related Basic Computer Terminologies / Terms based words starting with "V".

Let us learn everything,

S.No Terms/ Terminologies Definitions
327 Validation The process of making sure that the forms and documents from a particular transaction are correct.
328 VDU (video display unit) An I/O device consists of a television tube for presenting output and a keyboard for entering inputs.
329 VGA Video Graphics Array is a standard graphics display system for computers that uses an analogue signal instead of a digital signal.
330 Video teleconferencing A remote 'face-to-face chat,' when two or more people using a webcam and an Internet telephone connection chat online. The webcam enables both live voice and video.
331 Virtual memory A method of using disk space so as to make programs believe that the system contains more RAM than is actually available. This is done by using pure segmentation or pure paging or both.
332 Virus A program that is loaded onto a computer without the knowledge of the user and runs unknowingly and typically maliciously. A piece of computer code is designed as a prank or malicious act to spread from one computer to another by attaching itself to other programs.
333 Volatile memory A memory whose contents are irretrievably lost when power is removed. If data in RAM must be saved after power shutdown, back-up in non-volatile memory (magnetic disk, tape, or CD-R) is essential.

Glossary of all Computer Terms / Terminologies starting words with “W” Dictionary with Definitions for All Competitive Exams & Download PDF

List of most commonly used Computer Hardware, Software & Application related Basic Computer Terminologies / Terms based words starting with "W".

Let us learn everything,

S.No Terms/ Terminologies Definitions
334 WAN A Wide Area Network is a network made up of interconnected LANs that span a wide geographic area by using WAN links, such as telephone lines or satellite technology, to connect computers in different cities, countries or even different continents.
335 Warm boot Restarting a computer that is already turned on without first turning it off. Also see Boot, Cold Boot.
336 Web browser Software that is used to display web pages and present audio and video to the user.
337 Web page A document was written in the language of the World Wide Web.
338 Webserver A computer that delivers Web pages to computer users on the Internet.
339 Web site A location on the World Wide Web that contains a home page, which is the first document users see when they enter the site. The site might also contain additional documents and files. A collection of web pages or hyperlinked webpages owned by an individual, company or organisation.
340 Wide area network (wan) It is a telecommunication network or computer network that extends over a large geographical distance.
341 Window A portion of a computer display is used in a graphical interface that enables users to select commands by pointing to illustrations or symbols with a mouse.
342 Wireless The ability of an electronic device to communicate with another device using the atmosphere as its media. Also, see Media.
343 Word processor Software is used to perform word processing functions such as writing and editing documents. A computer system or program for setting, editing, revising, correcting, storing and printing text.
344 Workgroup Persons share files and data between themselves.
345 Workstation The work area and/or equipment used for computer operations, including Computer-Aided Design (CAD). The equipment generally consists of a monitor, keyboard, printer and/or plotter and other output devices.
346 World wide web ('www' or 'the web') A network of servers on the Internet that use hypertext-linked databases and files. It was developed in 1989 by Tim Berners-Lee, a British computer scientist and is now the primary platform of the Internet. It is a collection of Internet servers that support documents created in a specific format, such as HTML, to be displayed with a Web Browser.

Glossary of all Computer Terms / Terminologies starting words with “X & Z” Dictionary with Definitions for All Competitive Exams & Download PDF

List of most commonly used Computer Hardware, Software & Application related Basic Computer Terminologies / Terms based words starting with "X & Z".

Let us learn everything,

S.No Terms/ Terminologies Definitions
347 X-Y Plotter A computer-driven printing mechanism that draws coordinate points in graph form.
348 XHTML (eXtensible HyperText Markup Language) Part of the family of XML markup languages. It mirrors or extends versions of the widely used Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), the language in which web pages are formulated.
349 Zip (zone information protocol) This is an application that allows for the compression of application files.
350 Zoom The enlarging or reducing an image displayed on a computer process of proportionately monitor.

Complete Computer Awareness Section - Competitive Exams Syllabus Based Topics MCQ Test & Online Quiz with PDF:

Aspirants preparing for the upcoming competitive exam must go through the important Computer Awareness topics based on multiple choice questions & answers online test & quiz with important PDFs listed below.

  1. Fundamental & Concepts Of Computer,
  2. Computer Security,
  3. Computer Acronyms & Abbreviation,
  4. Basics Of Hardware & Software,
  5. Input & Output Devices,
  6. Operating System,
  7. Software Concepts,
  8. Software Engineering,
  9. Data Structures & Algorithms,
  10. Computer Networks,
  11. Parallel Computing,
  12. Window Programming,
  13. Internet Awareness,
  14. Microsoft Windows Operating System,
  15. Microsoft Windows Keyboard Shortcuts,
  16. Microsoft Office Quiz,
  17. Microsoft Word,
  18. Microsoft Excel,
  19. Microsoft Powerpoint,
  20. Microsoft Access,
  21. Computer Memory,
  22. Database Management System (DBMS),
  23. Data Mining And Data Ware House, &
  24. Electronics Data Processing.

Click these above links and learn all individual types with solved examples & practice MCQ useful for all SSC, IBPS, IBPS RRB, BANK, RAILWAY & any other competitive exam preparations and IT Interviews.


Refer: Learn all topics in the computer section & crack any competitive exams