system
Language: English
Part of speech: noun
Pronunciation: enpr: sĭsʹtəm
ipa: /ˈsɪstəm/
rhymes: -ɪstəm
Forms: form: systems
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.
Senses: examples: text: 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.
ref: 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:
text: 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.
ref: [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:
text: 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.
ref: 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 Apr 2013, page 200:
synonyms: arrangement
complex
composition
organization
set up
structure
glosses: A group or set of related things that operate together as a complex whole.
examples: text: 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.
ref: 2019 February 3, “UN Study: China, US, Japan Lead World AI Development”, in Voice of America, archived from the original on 07 Feb 2019:
topics: computing
engineering
mathematics
natural-sciences
physical-sciences
sciences
synonyms: arrangement
complex
composition
organization
set up
structure
glosses: A group or set of related things that operate together as a complex whole.
A set of hardware and software operating in a computer.
examples: text: 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.
ref: 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:
topics: mathematics
sciences
synonyms: arrangement
complex
composition
organization
set up
structure
glosses: A group or set of related things that operate together as a complex whole.
A set of equations involving the same variables, which are to be solved simultaneously.
examples: text: 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[…].
ref: 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:
topics: entertainment
lifestyle
music
synonyms: arrangement
complex
composition
organization
set up
structure
glosses: A group or set of related things that operate together as a complex whole.
A set of staves linked by a brace that indicate instruments or sounds that are to be played simultaneously.
examples: text: the digestive system  the nervous system
text: 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.
ref: 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:
topics: medicine
physiology
sciences
synonyms: arrangement
complex
composition
organization
set up
structure
glosses: A group or set of related things that operate together as a complex whole.
A set of body organs having a particular function.
examples: text: But that alter often turns out to be relatively recent and fairly peripheral in the multiple's total system of alters.
ref: 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:
text: 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.
ref: 2017, “A New Therapist”, in Patricia Frankish, Valerie Sinason, editors, Holistic Therapy for People with Dissociative Identity Disorder, London: Karnac Books, →ISBN, page 79:
synonyms: arrangement
complex
composition
organization
set up
structure
multiple
plural system
glosses: A group or set of related things that operate together as a complex whole.
A set of alters of a person, or the multiple (“an individual with multiple personalities”) who contains them.
qualifier: multiplicity
examples: text: There are eight planets in the solar system.
text: 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.
ref: 2012, BioWare, Mass Effect 3 (Science Fiction), Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →OCLC, PC, scene: Yukawa, Euler system:
topics: astronomy
natural-sciences
synonyms: arrangement
complex
composition
organization
set up
structure
glosses: A group or set of related things that operate together as a complex whole.
A system in which two or more objects are bound to each other by gravity.
examples: text: In the footnote attached to this statement Rosen refers to the “hypnotic” quality of Kojève’s system.
ref: 2019, David McIlwain, Michael Oakeshott and Leo Strauss: The Politics of Renaissance and Enlightenment, →ISBN, page 131, note 5:
topics: human-sciences
philosophy
sciences
synonyms: arrangement
complex
composition
organization
set up
structure
glosses: A group or set of related things that operate together as a complex whole.
A comprehensive and logically organized set of propositions or philosophical beliefs.
examples: text: Meronyms: the man, yes men, elephant in the room, emperor's new clothes, Leviathan, Big Brother
text: “Overwork started his illness, kept it alight, and killed him, poor devil. Write him off to the System - one man to do the work of two-and-a-half men.”
ref: 1888, Rudyard Kipling, “The Phantom Rickshaw”, in The Phantom 'Rickshaw and Other Tales, Allahabad: A.H. Wheeler and Co., page 8:
text: 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".
ref: 1919, Vance Marshall, Jail From Within, page 20:
text: 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
ref: 1986, Madonna, Stephen Bray, Patrick Leonard, “Where's the Party”, in True Blue, performed by Madonna:
synonyms: arrangement
complex
composition
organization
set up
structure
glosses: A group or set of related things that operate together as a complex whole.
The mainstream culture, controlled by the elites or government of a state, or a combination of them, seen as oppressive to the individual.
qualifier: preceded by the
synonyms: arrangement
complex
composition
organization
set up
structure
glosses: A group or set of related things that operate together as a complex whole.
A set of rules for a tabletop roleplaying game.
qualifier: roleplaying games
examples: text: The capitalist system
topics: government
politics
synonyms: arrangement
complex
composition
organization
set up
structure
glosses: A group or set of related things that operate together as a complex whole.
A socioeconomic formation.
examples: text: Followers should have a system to follow that works in their interests, not against them.
text: 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.
ref: 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:
text: 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.
ref: 1838, [Edgar Allan Poe], The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket. […], New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, […], →OCLC:
text: 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.
ref: 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:
text: 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.
ref: 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 Jun 2017, page 162:
glosses: A method or way of organizing or planning.
Hyponyms: absolute system
absorption system
Abt system
adaptive immune system
advanced train control system
adversarial system
agrisystem
agrosystem
airport system
alarm system
antisystem
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
biosystem
block system
Bradford system
brigade system
buddy system
bulletin board system
bulletin-board system
Burgundian system
Caland system
cardiovascular system
cat distribution system
central nervous system
Chappe system
Chautauqua system
chronosystem
circulatory system
cistem
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
cryosystem
cryptosystem
crystalsistem
crystal system
cultural system
cyber-physical system
cybersystem
cyber transport system
cyclosystem
database management system
decimal system
deposystem
design system
diasystem
direct system
document management system
door entry system
double star system
drainage system
dynamical system
dynamic system
early warning system
economic system
ecosystem
Edelcrantz system
eigensystem
electoral system
electrical system
eliminatory system
embedded system
endocrine system
enteric nervous system
ethical system
excretory system
exhaust system
exosystem
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
geosystem
Ghent system
global distribution system
global positioning system
GPS system
Greek system
ground proximity warning system
Haversian system
Havesian system
health system
Hennebique system
heterosystem
Hindley-Milner type system
hire system
honor system
honour system
hood suppression system
h-system
hydrostatic pressure relief system
hydrosystem
hyperbolic navigation system
immune system
immunosystem
imperial system
incident ticket system
inertial navigation system
inertial reference system
information system
infosystem
innate immune system
inquisitorial system
instant replay system
instrument landing system
intake system
integumentary system
intelligent system
intelligent transportation system
intercom system
international system
intersystem
intrasystem
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
longitudinal system
L-system
lymphatic system
macrosystem
management system
mancude-ring system
median system
mesoscale convective system
mesosystem
metasystem
metric system
microelectromechanical system
microsystem
mini hi-fi system
minisystem
moral system
mountain system
multi-agent system
multiple star system
multisystem
name-based type system
nanoelectromechanical system
nanosystem
nervous system
neurosystem
never change a running system
nominal type system
nominative type system
nonsystem
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
pathosystem
patronage system
perfect system
peripheral nervous system
photosystem
physical system
piece system
pi-system
planetary system
platoon system
play the system
plumbing system
plural system
political system
pollution permit system
polysystem
post office telephone 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
servosystem
shadow banking system
shock to the system
Simon system
single star system
Smith system
social system
sociotechnical system
Solar System
solsystem
Sol system
somatic nervous system
sortation 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
supersystem
supplemental restraint system
support ticket system
Swiss system
sympathetic nervous system
system card
system of equations
system of numeration
system on a chip
tally system
taxonomic system
terrain awareness and warning system
thermodynamic system
three-party system
time-delay measuring system
track and bowl system
travel system
tribosystem
trinary star system
tripartite system
triple star system
trouble ticket system
tuning system
two-party system
type system
urinary system
value system
vegetative nervous system
vestibular system
voting system
warden system
water vascular system
Westminster parliamentary system
Westminster system
writing system
X0 system
x-system
XX-XY system
XY system
zombie system
ZW system
ZZ-ZW system
π-system
Derived terms: gaming the system
out of one's system
shitstem
sociotechnical system theory
sys
sysadmin
syscourse
syscovery
sysmedicalism
sysmedicalist
sysop
sysprog
system administrator
system architecture
systematic
systematisation
systematization
systematise
systematize
system bus
systemctl
systemd
system dynamics
systemed
systemic
systemical
systemin
systemise
systemism
systemist
systemization
systemize
systemless
system-monger
systemness
systemoid
system-on-chip
system operator
system pull
systempunkt
system sales
systems art
systems biology
systems categories
systems ecology
system seller
systems engineering
systems of measurement
system software
systems science
systems theory
system time
system tray
system unit
system-wide
systemwide
systemwise
unified type system
work the system
world-system
Related terms: network