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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
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012


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


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Word History and Origins

Origin of open system1

First recorded in 1935–40
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Compare Meanings

How does open system compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

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Example Sentences

These companies are stepping back from open systems because it works, and security experts know it.

It has been said that logistics is the true strength of any modern military, and designing open systems is a tremendous force multiplier.

The Web was designed to be an open system, no spying or data gathering allowed.

The former is part of our open system of checks and balances and can be challenged in the courts.

May said he and other Republicans there “did a lot of hard work with trying to come up with a fair and open system.”

It's a relatively open system, onto which I can install any program, get to any content, and even change how it works.

The complications of the open system with its endless quarrels and lawsuits were avoided.

On the other hand, we have the fact that during the War of American Independence the open system was not very successful.

The intelligent saw in the open system of the Jacobins the complete hidden system of the Illuminati.

This sort of a circulatory system in which the blood in places is not enclosed in a definite vessel is known as an open system.

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