asynchronous

[ ey-sing-kruh-nuhs ]

adjective

1. not occurring at the same time:

   The factory has two asynchronous production lines with end products paired in final assembly and shipped to buyers.

2. (especially in education) occurring or able to be completed independently according to a person’s own self-paced schedule or within a broad window of time, but not coordinated to be completed in real time with another participant:

   Distance learners may earn participation points by attending real-time video chats, or by posting messages and replies in asynchronous discussion boards.

3. Digital Technology. relating to or being a computer operation that can occur independently, without waiting for another event:

   Asynchronous responses are returned to the client side without blocking for the completion of the database processing request.

4. Computers, Telecommunications. of, relating to, or operating without the use of fixed-time intervals coordinated by a clock, as data transmitted one byte or character at a time.

Other Words From

• a·syn·chro·nous·ly adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of asynchronous¹

First recorded in 1740–50; a- ⁶ + synchronous

Related Words

• nonsynchronous