operating system: Meaning and Definition of

op'erating sys"tem

Pronunciation: [key]
— Computers. Computers.
  1. the collection of software that directs a computer's operations, controlling and scheduling the execution of other programs, and managing storage, input/output, and communication resources. Abbr.: OS
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.