system

American  

[sis-tuhm] / ˈsɪs təm /

noun

• systems
  plural

1. an assemblage or combination of things or parts forming a complex or unitary whole.

   a mountain system; a railroad system.

   Synonyms:

   unit

2. any assemblage or set of correlated members.

   a system of currency; a system of shorthand characters.

3. an ordered and comprehensive assemblage of facts, principles, doctrines, or the like in a particular field of knowledge or thought.

   a system of philosophy.

4. a coordinated body of methods or a scheme or plan of procedure; organizational scheme.

   a system of government.

5. any formulated, regular, or special method or plan of procedure.

   a system of marking, numbering, or measuring; a winning system at bridge.

6. due method or orderly manner of arrangement or procedure.

   There is no system in his work.

7. the world or universe.

   Synonyms:

   cosmos

8. Astronomy.

   1. a number of heavenly bodies associated and acting together according to certain natural laws.

      the solar system.

   2. a hypothesis or theory of the disposition and arrangements of the heavenly bodies by which their phenomena, motions, changes, etc., are explained.

      the Ptolemaic system; the Copernican system.

9. Biology.

   1. an assemblage of organs or related tissues concerned with the same function.

      the nervous system; the digestive system.

   2. the entire human or animal body considered as a functioning unit.

      an ingredient toxic to the system.

10. one's psychological makeup, especially with reference to desires or preoccupations.

    to get something out of one's system.

11. a method or scheme of classification.

    the Linnean system of plants.

12. Usually the system the prevailing structure or organization of society, business, or politics or of society in general; establishment.

    to work within the system instead of trying to change it.

13. Geology. a major division of rocks comprising sedimentary deposits and igneous masses formed during a single geologic period.

14. Physical Chemistry. a combination of two or more phases, as a binary system, each of which consists of one or more substances, that is attaining or is in equilibrium.

15. Computers. a working combination of hardware, software, and data communications devices.

16. Checkers. either of the two groups of 16 playing squares on four alternate columns.

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system British  

/ ˈsɪstəm /

noun

1. a group or combination of interrelated, interdependent, or interacting elements forming a collective entity; a methodical or coordinated assemblage of parts, facts, concepts, etc

   a system of currency

   the Copernican system

2. any scheme of classification or arrangement

   a chronological system

3. a network of communications, transportation, or distribution

4. a method or complex of methods

   he has a perfect system at roulette

5. orderliness; an ordered manner

6. (often capital) society seen as an environment exploiting, restricting, and repressing individuals

7. an organism considered as a functioning entity

8. any of various bodily parts or structures that are anatomically or physiologically related

   the digestive system

9. one's physiological or psychological constitution

   get it out of your system

10. any assembly of electronic, electrical, or mechanical components with interdependent functions, usually forming a self-contained unit

    a brake system

11. a group of celestial bodies that are associated as a result of natural laws, esp gravitational attraction

    the solar system

12. chem a sample of matter in which there are one or more substances in one or more phases See also phase rule

13. a point of view or doctrine used to interpret a branch of knowledge

14. Also called: crystal system. mineralogy one of a group of divisions into which crystals may be placed on the basis of the lengths and inclinations of their axes

15. geology a stratigraphical unit for the rock strata formed during a period of geological time. It can be subdivided into series

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system Cultural  

1. A group of bodily organs that have similar structures or work together to perform some function, such as the digestive system, nervous system, and respiratory system.

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system Idioms  

1. see all systems go; out of one's system.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• supersystem
  noun
• intersystem
  adjective
• systemless
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• systems
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of system

First recorded in 1610–20; from Late Latin systēma, from Greek sýstēma whole compounded of several parts, equivalent to sy- “”with, together” + stē- (variant stem of histánai “to cause to stand”; akin to Latin stāre “to stand” ) + -ma noun suffix denoting result of action; see sy-, stand

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Explanation

A system is a group of things that connect and form some kind of coherent whole. All the individual buses and the separate routes they take through your city are together called a bus system. Any time various separate things act together in some organized way, you can call the entire group of interconnected things a system. Your veins, arteries, and heart together make up your body's circulatory system, and the group of planets which rotate around the sun are called a solar system. The Greek word systema, or "organized whole," is where system originates.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

system systems

So spending in some parts of the system has come down while it has risen in others - and there could be a connection.

From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026

Cárdenas led a historic opposition movement in the fraud-tainted 1988 election, which became a turning point for Mexico’s political system.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026

Rimac immediately contacted police, used the car's telemetry system to track its location as it travelled towards Slovenia and set off in his Porsche 911 in hot pursuit.

From Barron's ● Oct. 29, 2026

Sustainability may have been a focus for the Lucas gardens — the museum’s website trumpets solar panels on the roof and a rainwater irrigation system — but its planting choices have room for improvement.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 29, 2026

The body's immune system tries to kill the invading bacteria with an array of special immune cells, while the bacteria try to protect themselves against immune cells by cranking out toxic chemicals.

From "Phineas Gage" by John Fleischman

LG Energy produces battery-energy-storage systems in Michigan, Ohio and Tennessee, as well as in Ontario, Canada.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 29, 2026

Cohere is led by Aidan Gomez, an AI researcher who co-authored a seminal paper that laid the foundations for modern AI systems, underscoring the role of the Canadian AI research ecosystem in the field's development.

From Barron's ● Oct. 29, 2026

“I have no problem saying no to systems that don’t serve the people,” the girl in flannel says.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 29, 2026

Pulling on threads from psychology, sociology, neuroscience, and systems theory, Frade's thinking rejected the common belief that technical, tactical, physical and psychological parts of football should be treated as separate things.

From BBC ● Oct. 29, 2026

If Reshevsky defeated Lombardy, he’d equal Bobby’s score and they’d be declared co-champions: In this championship there were no tie-breaking systems or play-offs.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

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Related Words

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