latency
a delay before a computer, network, or device reacts
the amount of time it takes for data to travel or for a computer, network, app, or device to respond after a signal, command, or input
the time you wait before something produces a response or effect
the time between a stimulus, exposure, action, or cause and the response or effect it produces
a hidden inactive state, especially in an infection
the state of existing but not yet being active, visible, or fully developed, especially in reference to a virus, disease, or biological process
- Base: latency
- Plural: latencies, latency
audio latency
1delay in heard sound
a delay between making a sound and hearing it
- The singer found it hard to record because the headphones had noticeable audio latency.
- Bluetooth speakers may add audio latency when you watch videos.
- The software lets musicians reduce audio latency while recording.
- Audio latency makes the sound arrive late.
- We need to fix the audio latency.
high latency
1long response delay
a large delay before a system reacts
- High latency made the remote desktop hard to use.
- The game is almost unplayable when the connection has high latency.
- Satellite internet can suffer from high latency because signals travel such long distances.
- High latency makes video calls feel delayed.
- This server has high latency.
input latency
1delay after user input
the delay after you press, click, or move something
- The monitor's low input latency makes games feel more responsive.
- Wireless controllers can add a small amount of input latency.
- Players noticed input latency when they pressed jump and the character moved late.
- Input latency makes the controls feel slow.
- This mouse has low input latency.
latency period
1interval before effects appear
the time between something happening and its effect appearing
- There can be a long latency period between asbestos exposure and disease.
- The latency period for symptoms varies from patient to patient.
- The study recorded the latency period before each participant reacted to the image.
- The disease may have a long latency period.
- A short latency period means the effect appears quickly.
latency spike
1sudden temporary delay increase
a short sudden jump in delay
- The stream dropped frames whenever there was a latency spike.
- Players complained about latency spikes during the tournament.
- A background download caused several latency spikes on the home network.
- A latency spike can make a game freeze for a moment.
- We had latency spikes during the call.
low latency
1very short response delay
a very small delay before a system reacts
- The app needs low latency so traders can see price changes immediately.
- The company built a low-latency network for live video.
- Choose the nearest server for low latency.
- Low latency means less waiting.
- Gamers want low latency.
network latency
1data travel delay
the delay in sending data over a network
- Network latency increased after the company moved its servers overseas.
- Engineers measured network latency before launching the streaming service.
- A wired connection can sometimes reduce network latency.
- Network latency is high today.
- The team wants to reduce network latency.
round-trip latency
1there-and-back signal delay
the delay for data to go to another place and come back
- The test showed a round-trip latency of 45 milliseconds.
- Video calls feel smoother when round-trip latency stays low.
- Engineers compared round-trip latency from different regions.
- Round-trip latency measures the trip there and back.
- The round-trip latency is 50 milliseconds.