open system

noun

, Thermodynamics.

1. a region separated from its surroundings by a boundary that admits a transfer of matter or energy across it.

open system

noun

1. computing an operating system that is not specific to a particular supplier, but conforms to more widely compatible standards

open system

1. A physical system that interacts with other systems. The physical description of an open system can appear to violate conservation laws; for example, in a good description of the mechanism of energy transfer in a car engine (gears, driveshaft, and so on), energy will appear to be lost from the system over time, despite the law of conservation of energy. This is because the system is open, losing energy (in the form of heat) to surrounding systems (through friction). A system that loses energy in this way also called a dissipative system.
2. Compare closed system

Word History and Origins

Origin of open system¹

First recorded in 1935–40

Example Sentences

This water vapor could come directly from the ambient air, in which case the TCM is an open system.

From Science Daily

He tasked Bender with leading an effort to devise a new, more open system for choosing the state’s presidential delegates.

From Los Angeles Times

“Our court system is an open system, and there shouldn’t be a secret docket. If a document is filed and made part of the public docket, it should be made public,” said David Weinstein, a former federal prosecutor.

From Seattle Times

On the other hand, the snail-like open system is far more efficient.

From Science Daily

The Republican chairmen of the panels warned about “systematic attempts to exploit, degrade, and misappropriate our open system of science.”

From Washington Times