# system
## English
### Etymology

Partly borrowed from Middle French sisteme, systeme, partly directly from its etymon Late Latin systēma (“harmony; musical scale; set of celestial objects; set of troops; system”), from Ancient Greek σύστημα (sústēma, “musical scale; organized body; whole made of several parts or members”), from σῠνίστημῐ (sŭnístēmĭ, “to combine, organize”) + -μᾰ (-mă, resultative suffix). σῠνίστημῐ is from σῠν- (sŭn-, “with, together”) + ἵστημι (hístēmi, “to stand”), from Proto-Indo-European *steh₂- (“to stand (up)”).
Cognate with Dutch systeem, modern French système, German System, Italian sistema, Portuguese sistema, Spanish sistema. Doublet of systema.

### Pronunciation

* enPR: sĭsʹtəm, IPA: /ˈsɪstəm/
* Audio (General American):(file)
* Audio (General Australian):(file)
* Rhymes: -ɪstəm
* Hyphenation: sys‧tem

### Noun

system (countable and uncountable, plural systems)
* A group or set of related things that operate together as a complex whole. [from early 17th c.]
    Synonyms: arrangement, complex, composition, organization, set up, structure
** 1838 (date written), L[etitia] E[lizabeth] L[andon], chapter IX, in Lady Anne Granard; or, Keeping up Appearances. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], published 1842, →OCLC, page 112:Every age has its characteristic, and our present one is not behind its predecessors in that respect; it is the age of systems, every system enforced by a treatise. The politician who opposes the corn-laws and advocates free trade, does so on a system, which, as soon as it begins to work, will set the civilized world to rights.
** [1848], J[ames] A[lexander] Hamilton, “Stave”, in A New Musical Grammar, in Three Parts: viz. Notation; Harmony and Counterpoint; Rhythm or Melody, 4th edition, London: Published only by Robert Cocks and Co. […]; sold also by Messrs. Simpkin, Marshall, and Co. […], →OCLC, part I (Notation), page 23:The bass and treble clefs combined, include all the sounds belonging to our musical system, as they appear on a 6½-octave pianoforte, extending from C C C in the bass to F in altissimo.
** 2013 May–June, Charles T. Ambrose, “Alzheimer’s Disease: The Great Morbidity of the 21st Century”, in American Scientist‎, volume 101, number 3, archived from the original on 24 April 2013, page 200:Similar studies of rats have employed four different intracranial resorbable, slow sustained release systems—surgical foam, a thermal gel depot, a microcapsule or biodegradable polymer beads.
** (computing) A set of hardware and software operating in a computer.
*** 2019 February 3, “UN Study: China, US, Japan Lead World AI Development”, in Voice of America‎, archived from the original on 7 February 2019:WIPO [the World Intellectual Property Organization] reported that China had 17 of the top 20 academic organizations filing for AI-related patents. It noted China was especially strong in the fast-growing area of "deep learning." This is a machine learning method that includes speech and facial recognition systems.
** (mathematics) A set of equations involving the same variables, which are to be solved simultaneously.
*** 2017, Ken Levasseur, Al Doerr, “More Matrix Algebra”, in Applied Discrete Structures – Part 2: Algebraic Structures: Version 3.3, [Morrisville, N.C.]: Lulu.com, →ISBN, section 12.1.1 (Solutions), page 59:The method of solving systems of equations by matrices that we will look at is based on procedures involving equations that we are familiar with from previous mathematics courses. The main idea is to reduce a given system of equations to another simpler system that has the same solutions.
** (music) A set of staves linked by a brace that indicate instruments or sounds that are to be played simultaneously.
*** 2015, Meinhard Müller, “Music Representations”, in Fundamentals of Music Processing: Audio, Analysis, Algorithms, Applications, Cham, Switzerland, Heidelberg: Springer International Publishing, →DOI, →ISBN, section 1.1.2 (Western Music Notation), page 8:To notate music that is played on a piano or is played by different musicians on various instruments, one often uses several staves to notate the various musical voices. A single vertical line drawn to the left of multiple staves creates a staff system, which indicates that the music on all staves is to be played simultaneously. A bracket is an additional vertically aligned symbol joining staves. This symbol shows groupings of instruments that function as a unit, such as the string section of an orchestra […].
** (physiology) A set of body organs having a particular function.
    the digestive system  the nervous system
*** 1995, Terence J. Dawson, “Living in the Environment – Feeding”, in Kangaroos: Biology of the Largest Marsupials, Ithaca, N.Y.: Comstock Publishing Associates, Cornell University Press, published 1998, →ISBN, page 102:Animals have evolved a variety of digestive systems to utilise fibre. The kangaroos have evolved a digestive system that has much in common with those found in ruminant mammals from other continents, but there are also unique features.
** (multiplicity) A set of alters of a person, or the multiple (“an individual with multiple personalities”) who contains them.
    Synonym: multiple
*** 1995, Stephen E. Braude, First Person Plural: Multiple Personality and the Philosophy of Mind, revised edition, Lanham, Md., London: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, →ISBN, page 56:But that alter often turns out to be relatively recent and fairly peripheral in the multiple's total system of alters.
*** 2017, “A New Therapist”, in Patricia Frankish, Valerie Sinason, editors, Holistic Therapy for People with Dissociative Identity Disorder, London: Karnac Books, →ISBN, page 79:Rosie's courage allowed her to engage with me quickly and soon provided reassurance to others in the system that I was safe and non-abusive. Soon after, a number of other alters made themselves known to me. […] I was initially very worried that I would offend the system by missing when switches occurred, or even misidentify who was present with me.
*** For more quotations using this term, see Citations:system.
** (astronomy) A system in which two or more objects are bound to each other by gravity.
    There are eight planets in the solar system.
*** 2012, BioWare, Mass Effect 3 (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →OCLC, PC, scene: Yukawa, Euler system:Yukawa is a small rock planet with a thin atmosphere of carbon dioxide. After a labor dispute with companies shipping metallic asteroids to the nearby Arcturus system, Yukawa's iron core and blanket of hematite were briefly mined to aid in the construction of Arcturus Station.
** (philosophy) A comprehensive and logically organized set of propositions or philosophical beliefs.
*** 2019, David McIlwain, Michael Oakeshott and Leo Strauss: The Politics of Renaissance and Enlightenment, →ISBN, page 131, note 5:In the footnote attached to this statement Rosen refers to the “hypnotic” quality of Kojève’s system.
** (derogatory) Preceded by the word the: the mainstream culture, controlled by the elites or government of a state, or a combination of them, seen as oppressive to the individual.
    Meronyms: the man, yes men, elephant in the room, emperor's new clothes
*** 1919, Vance Marshall, Jail From Within, page 20:Some had already been incarcerated for several months awaiting trial, and some were being returned to their cells at Long Bay to wait several months longer ere they would have an` opportunity of disproving the allegations against them. Such mockery of justice is allowed by the all-powerful "system".
*** 1986, Madonna, Stephen Bray, Patrick Leonard (lyrics and music), “Where's the Party”, in True Blue, performed by Madonna:Don't want to grow old too fast / Don't want to let the system get me down / I've got to find a way to make the good times last / And if you'll show me how, I'm ready now
** (roleplaying games) A set of rules for a tabletop roleplaying game.
** (politics) A socioeconomic formation.
    The capitalist system
* (countable, uncountable) A method or way of organizing or planning.
    Followers should have a system to follow that works in their interests, not against them.
** 1749, Henry Fielding, “In which Fortune Seems to have been in a Better Humour with Jones than We have hitherto Seen Her”, in The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling, volume IV, London: A[ndrew] Millar, […], →OCLC, book VIII, page 253:But ſo Matters fell out, and ſo I muſt relate them; and if any Reader is ſhocked at their appearing unnatural, I cannot help it. I must remind ſuch Persons, that I am not writing a Syſtem, but a Hiſtory, and I am not obliged to reconcile every Matter to the received Notions concerning Truth and Nature.
** 1838, [Edgar Allan Poe], The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket. […], New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, […], →OCLC:As we passed along, the party of Too-wit (the whole hundred and ten savages of the canoes) was momentarily strengthened by smaller detachments, of from two to six or seven, which joined us, as if by accident, at different turns in the road. There appeared so much of system in this that I could not help feeling distrust, and I spoke to Captain Guy of my apprehensions.
** 1915, G[eorge] A. Birmingham [pseudonym; James Owen Hannay], chapter I, in Gossamer, New York, N.Y.: George H. Doran Company, →OCLC, pages 13–14:As a political system democracy seems to me extraordinarily foolish, but I would not go out of my way to protest against it. My servant is, so far as I am concerned, welcome to as many votes as he can get. I would very gladly make mine over to him if I could.
** 2012 March–April, John T[homas] Jost, “Social Justice: Is It in Our Nature (and Our Future)?”, in American Scientist‎, volume 100, number 2, archived from the original on 21 June 2017, page 162:He draws eclectically on studies of baboons, descriptive anthropological accounts of hunter-gatherer societies and, in a few cases, the fossil record. With this biological framework in place, [Peter] Corning endeavors to show that the capitalist system as currently practiced in the United States and elsewhere is manifestly unfair.

#### Usage notes

* In attributive use, especially relating to computer systems, the plural is more common than the singular; one normally speaks of a systems engineer and not a system engineer.

#### Hyponyms

* absolute system
* absorption system
* Abt system
* adaptive immune system
* advanced train control system
* adversarial system
* airport system
* alarm system
* apothecaries' system
* aqueferous system
* aquiferous system
* Ardois system
* Auburn system
* automated driving system
* automatic leveling system
* autonomic nervous system
* axiomatic system
* axiom system
* Bayer system
* beat the system
* belief system
* Bertillon system
* Bessey system
* Bethesda system
* binary numeral system
* binary star system
* binary system
* biological system
* block system
* Bradford system
* brigade system
* buddy system
* bulletin-board system
* bulletin board system
* Caland system
* cardiovascular system
* central nervous system
* Chappe system
* Chautauqua system
* circulatory system
* climate system
* clipper system
* clock system
* closed circulatory system
* closed system
* color coordinate system
* combined braking system
* complement system
* complex adaptive system
* complex system
* computer system
* conceptual system
* contention system
* content management system
* contract system
* coordinate system
* Copernican system
* Crofton system
* Cronquist system
* crystalsistem
* crystal system
* cultural system
* cyber-physical system
* cyber transport system
* database management system
* decimal system
* design system
* direct system
* document management system
* double star system
* drainage system
* dynamical system
* dynamic system
* early warning system
* economic system
* ecosystem
* Edelcrantz system
* electoral system
* electrical system
* eliminatory system
* embedded system
* endocrine system
* enteric nervous system
* ethical system
* excretory system
* exhaust system
* expert system
* extended real number system
* extrasolar system
* fatal system error
* feudal system
* file system
* filing system
* fire alarm system
* fire system
* fly system
* formal system
* game the system
* Ganz system
* geographic information system
* Ghent system
* global distribution system
* global positioning system
* GPS system
* Greek system
* ground proximity warning system
* Haversian system
* Havesian system
* health system
* Hennebique system
* Hindley-Milner type system
* hire system
* honor system
* honour system
* h-system
* hydrostatic pressure relief system
* hyperbolic navigation system
* immune system
* imperial system
* incident ticket system
* information system
* innate immune system
* inquisitorial system
* instrument landing system
* intake system
* integumentary system
* intelligent system
* intelligent transportation system
* intercom system
* international system
* inverse system
* Isherwood system
* isolated system
* issue tracking system
* iterated function system
* karaoke system
* Labouchère system
* lay system
* learning content management system
* legacy stsem
* legacy system
* legal system
* lightning protection system
* light rail system
* light rail transport system
* limbic system
* Lindenmayer system
* linear system
* logical system
* L-system
* lymphatic system
* management system
* mancude-ring system
* mesoscale convective system
* metric system
* microelectromechanical system
* mini hi-fi system
* moral system
* mountain system
* multi-agent system
* multiple star system
* name-based type system
* nanoelectromechanical system
* nervous system
* never change a running system
* nominal type system
* nominative type system
* normalized system
* number system
* numeral system
* oblique system of coordinates
* one-party system
* open circulatory system
* open-field system
* open system
* operating system
* optical landing system
* organ system
* oscillating wave test system
* package management system
* padrino system
* Palladius system
* parasympathetic nervous system
* PA system
* patronage system
* perfect system
* peripheral nervous system
* physical system
* piece system
* planetary system
* platoon system
* play the system
* plumbing system
* plural system
* political system
* pollution permit system
* present system
* primary life support system
* proof system
* prototype-based system
* Ptolemaic system
* public address system
* Pupin's system
* Pupin system
* purchase system
* Pythagorean system
* quadruple star system
* quintuple star system
* range safety system
* rapid response system
* reaction control system
* real number system
* Reed-Kellogg system
* renin-angiotensin system
* reproductive system
* reputation system
* respiratory system
* reward system
* Rhesus system
* ring system
* root system
* satellite navigation system
* Schillinger system
* sealed system
* second-system effect
* second-system syndrome
* security system
* sensory system
* shadow banking system
* shock to the system
* Simon system
* single star system
* Smith system
* social system
* sociotechnical system
* Solar system
* Sol system
* somatic nervous system
* sound system
* space power system
* Speenhamland system
* Sperner system
* split-system air conditioner
* spoils system
* sprinkler system
* squeaky wheel system
* staff system
* Steiner system
* stellar system
* studio system
* subsystem
* sub-system
* supplemental restraint system
* support ticket system
* Swiss system
* sympathetic nervous system
* system administrator
* system architecture
* system-monger
* system of equations
* system on a chip
* system operator
* system pull
* system sales
* system seller
* system software
* system tray
* system unit
* taxonomic system
* terrain awareness and warning system
* thermodynamic system
* three-party system
* time-delay measuring system
* track and bowl system
* travel system
* trinary star system
* tripartite system
* triple star system
* trouble ticket system
* two-party system
* type system
* unified type system
* urinary system
* value system
* vegetative nervous system
* vestibular system
* voting system
* warden system
* water vascular system
* Westminster parliamentary system
* Westminster system
* work the system
* world-system
* writing system
* X0 system
* x-system
* XX-XY system
* XY system
* zombie system
* ZW system
* ZZ-ZW system
* π-system

#### Derived terms

* agrisystem
* agrosystem
* biosystem
* chronosystem
* cistem
* cryosystem
* cryptosystem
* cyclosystem
* deposystem
* diasystem
* ecosystem
* eigensystem
* exosystem
* gaming the system
* geosystem
* heterosystem
* hydrosystem
* immunosystem
* infosystem
* intrasystem
* macrosystem
* mesosystem
* metasystem
* microsystem
* multisystem
* neurosystem
* nonsystem
* out of one's system
* pathosystem
* photosystem
* polysystem
* servosystem
* sociotechnical system theory
* solsystem
* subsystem
* supersystem
* sys
* systematic
* systematisation, systematization
* systematise, systematize
* system bus
* systemctl
* systemd
* system dynamics
* systemic
* systemical
* systemin
* systemization
* systemless
* systemness
* system-on-chip
* system pull
* systempunkt
* systems art
* systems biology
* systems categories
* systems ecology
* systems engineering
* systems of measurement
* systems science
* systems theory
* system time
* system-wide, systemwide
* systemwise
* tribosystem

#### Descendants

* → Japanese: システム (shisutemu)

#### See also

* network

### References

* ↑ “system, n.”, in OED Online ⁠, Oxford: Oxford University Press, June 2015; “system”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–2022.

### Further reading

* system on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

### Anagrams

* stymes

## Danish
### Etymology

From late Latin systēma, from Ancient Greek σύστημα (sústēma, “organised whole, body”), from σύν (sún, “with, together”) + ἵστημι (hístēmi, “I stand”).

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /systeːm/, [syˈsd̥eːˀm]

### Noun

system n (singular definite systemet, plural indefinite systemer)
* system

#### Declension
### See also

* system on the Danish Wikipedia.Wikipedia $^{da}$

### References

* “system” in Den Danske Ordbog

## French
### Etymology

From English system.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /sis.tɛm/
* Homophone: système

### Noun

system m (plural systems)
* Word used in star system

## Kashubian
### Etymology

Borrowed from Polish system. Doublet of systema, a borrowing from German.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈsis.tɛm/
* Rhymes: -istɛm
* Syllabification: sys‧tem

### Noun

system f
* Synonym of systema.

### Further reading

* Eùgeniusz Gòłąbk (2011) “system”, in Słownik Polsko-Kaszubski / Słowôrz Pòlskò-Kaszëbsczi‎

## Norwegian Bokmål
### Etymology

From Ancient Greek σύστημα (sústēma).

### Noun

system n (definite singular systemet, indefinite plural system or systemer, definite plural systema or systemene)
* a system

#### Derived terms

* datasystem
* kjølesystem
* kloakksystem
* koordinatsystem
* nervesystem
* operativsystem
* solsystem
* varslingssystem
* værsystem
* økosystem

### References

* “system” in The Bokmål Dictionary.

## Norwegian Nynorsk
### Etymology

From Ancient Greek σύστημα (sústēma).

### Noun

system n (definite singular systemet, indefinite plural system, definite plural systema)
* a system

#### Derived terms

* datasystem
* kjølesystem
* kloakksystem
* koordinatsystem
* nervesystem
* operativsystem
* solsystem
* varslingssystem
* økosystem

### References

* “system” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.

## Polish
### Alternative forms

* systema (obsolete)

### Etymology

Borrowed from French système. First attested in 1628.

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ˈsɘs.tɛm/
* (Middle Polish) IPA: /ˈsɨs.tɛm/, /ˈsɨs.tem/
* Audio:(file)
* Rhymes: -ɘstɛm
* Syllabification: sys‧tem

### Noun

system m inan (diminutive systemik, related adjective systemowy)
* system (collection of organized things; whole composed of relationships among its members)
    Synonym: układ
* (technology) system (set of devices and tools as a whole)
* (physiology) system (set of body organs having a particular function)
    Synonym: układ
* (literary, philosophy) system (comprehensive and logically organized set of propositions or philosophical beliefs)
    Near-synonym: teoria
* system (method or way of organizing or planning)
    Near-synonym: metoda
* (government) system (elites or government of a state)
    Synonym: ustrój
* (mathematics) system (set of equations involving the same variables, which are to be solved simultaneously)
* (computing) system (set of hardware and software operating in a computer)
* (geology) formation (layer of rock of common origin)
* (astronomy) system (planetary system; a set of planets orbiting a star or star system)
    Synonym: układ
* (obsolete, music) system (set of staves linked by a brace that indicate instruments or sounds that are to be played simultaneously)

#### Derived terms

* proporcjonalny system wyborczy
* system argentyński
* system operacyjny
* system pozycyjny

#### Related terms

* systematyczny
* systematycznie
* systemowo
* systematyczność

### Trivia

According to Słownik frekwencyjny polszczyzny współczesnej (1990), system is one of the most used words in Polish, appearing 62 times in scientific texts, 26 times in news, 76 times in essays, 0 times in fiction, and 1 time in plays, each out of a corpus of 100,000 words, totaling 165 times, making it the 348th most common word in a corpus of 500,000 words.

### References

* ↑ Mirosław Bańko, Lidia Wiśniakowska (2021) “system”, in Wielki słownik wyrazów obcych, →ISBN
* ↑ Stanisław Dubisz, editor (2003), “system”, in Uniwersalny słownik języka polskiego [Universal dictionary of the Polish language]‎ (in Polish), volumes 1-4, Warsaw: Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN SA, →ISBN
* ↑ Maksym (Melecjusz) Smotrycki (1628) APOLOGIA PEREGRYNATIEY do Kráiow Wschodnich, Przez mię MELETIVSZA SMOTRZYSKIE[G]O [...] Roku P. 1623 y 24. obchodzonej, przez fałszywą Bracią słownie y na pismie spotwarzoney, do przezacnego Narodu Ruskieo [...] sporządzona y podana. A. 1628. Augusti, Die 25. w Monasteru Dermaniu‎ (in Polish), page 4: “O rzecz drugą, iż Haeretyckie swe bluźnierstwá poddał pod obronę systemu Kátholikowi, mężowi wysokich cnot, y okazáłey pobożnośći.”
* ↑ Ida Kurcz (1990) “system”, in Słownik frekwencyjny polszczyzny współczesnej [Frequency dictionary of the Polish language] (in Polish), volume 2, Kraków, Warszawa: Polska Akademia Nauk. Instytut Języka Polskiego, page 573

### Further reading

* system in Wielki słownik języka polskiego, Instytut Języka Polskiego PAN
* system in Polish dictionaries at PWN
* Samuel Bogumił Linde (1807–1814) “systema”, in Słownik języka polskiego
* Aleksander Zdanowicz (1861) “system”, in Słownik języka polskiego, Wilno 1861
* J. Karłowicz, A. Kryński, W. Niedźwiedzki, editors (1915), “system”, in Słownik języka polskiego (in Polish), volume 6, Warsaw, page 545

## Swedish
### Pronunciation

* IPA: /syst.eːm/
* Audio:(file)

### Noun

system n
* a system, a way or method of organizing items and knowledge
* a computer system (primarily its hardware)
* a system of restricted sales of alcohol, including state-owned monopoly shops

#### Hyponyms

* datorsystem
* ekosystem
* Göteborgssystem
* koordinatsystem
* operativsystem
* sexualsystem
* Stockholmssystem
* tipssystem

#### Derived terms

* systemanalys
* systemanrop
* systematik
* systematiker
* systematisera
* systematisering
* systematisk
* systembildning
* systembolag
* systembutik
* systembyggande
* systembyggnad
* systemenhet
* systemera
* systemerare
* systemering
* systemfel
* systemförvaltning
* systemkamera
* systemkasse
* systemkritik
* systemkritiker
* systemkritisk
* systemleverantör
* systemlös
* systemlösning
* systemman
* systemprogram
* systemprogrammering
* systempåse
* systemskifte
* systemteknik
* systemtippning
* systemtips
* systemutveckling

### References

* system in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)

### Anagrams

* mysets

## Welsh
### Alternative forms

* sustem

### Etymology

From English system.

### Pronunciation

* (North Wales) IPA: /ˈsɨ̞sdɛm/, [ˈsɨ̞stɛm]
* (South Wales) IPA: /ˈsɪsdɛm/, [ˈsɪstɛm]

### Noun

system f (plural systemau, not mutable)
* system
    Synonym: cyfundrefn

#### Usage notes

Being a word borrowed from English derived from Greek, the y in system is pronounced /ɨ̞, ɪ/ rather than expected /ə/. To preserve consistency between pronunciation and spelling, some prefer to spell this word sustem. Nevertheless, system is the more common spelling of the two. See pyramid/puramid, symbol/sumbol, synthesis/sunthesis for similar examples.

#### Derived terms

* systematig (“systematic”)

### Further reading

* R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke et al., editors (1950–present), “system”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies