latency

noun
UK: /ˈleɪtənsi/
US: /ˈleɪtənsi/

  1. The delay before something happens, or the time it takes for something to respond.

    1. The latency was very short.
    2. High network latency can make online gaming very frustrating.

  2. The period between exposure to something (like a disease) and when its effects are noticeable.

    1. The latency of the virus is unknown.
    2. There's a latency period before the symptoms of the infection start.

  3. The time it takes for data to pass from one point on a network to another.

    1. Reduce the latency on the network.
    2. Low latency is crucial for real-time applications such as video conferencing.

Synonyms

lag period downtime interval delay

Frequently Asked Questions

The word "latency" in English means: The delay before something happens, or the time it takes for something to respond., The period between exposure to something (like a disease) and when its effects are noticeable., The time it takes for data to pass from one point on a network to another..

The phonetic transcription of "latency" is /ˈleɪtənsi/ in British English and /ˈleɪtənsi/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "latency": lag, period, downtime, interval, delay.

Example usage of "latency": "The latency was very short.". More examples on the page.