random-access memory

ran·dom-ac·cess memory

(răn′dəm-ăk′sĕs)

n.

RAM.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

ram

(ræm)

n., v. rammed, ram•ming. n.

1. a male sheep.

2. (cap.) Aries.

3. any of various devices for crushing, driving, or forcing something, as a battering ram.

4. (formerly) a heavy beak or spur projecting from the bow of a warship for penetrating the hull of an enemy's ship.

5. a warship so equipped.

v.t.

6. to drive or force by heavy blows.

7. to dash violently against.

8. to cram; stuff.

9. to push firmly; force: to ram a bill through the Senate.

10. to force (a charge) into a firearm, as with a ramrod.

[before 900; Middle English: male sheep, machine for ramming, Old English ram(m)]

RAM

(ræm)

n.

volatile computer memory, used for creating, loading, and running programs and for manipulating and temporarily storing data; main memory. Compare ROM.

[1955–60; r(andom)-a(ccess) m(emory)]

Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

ran·dom-ac·cess memory

(răn′dəm-ăk′sĕs)

See RAM.

The American Heritage® Student Science Dictionary, Second Edition. Copyright © 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

random-access memory - the most common computer memory which can be used by programs to perform necessary tasks while the computer is on; an integrated circuit memory chip allows information to be stored or accessed in any order and all storage locations are equally accessible RAM, random access memory, random memory, read/write memory buffer storage, buffer store, buffer - (computer science) a part of RAM used for temporary storage of data that is waiting to be sent to a device; used to compensate for differences in the rate of flow of data between components of a computer system magnetic core, core - (computer science) a tiny ferrite toroid formerly used in a random access memory to store one bit of data; now superseded by semiconductor memories; "each core has three wires passing through it, providing the means to select and detect the contents of each bit" core memory, magnetic core memory - (computer science) a computer memory consisting of an array of magnetic cores; now superseded by semiconductor memories RAM disk - (computer science) a virtual drive that is created by setting aside part of the random-access memory to use as if it were a group of sectors; "access to a RAM disk is very fast but the data it contains is lost when the system is turned off" volatile storage - computer storage that is erased when the power is turned off

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.