latency
Time before response
Latency is the delay between an action and its response.
In computing, it measures the time for data to travel from source to destination: Low latency is crucial for online gaming.
Network latency affects video calls and streaming.
The term extends to any system where lag matters—audio equipment, medical devices, financial trading.
In psychology, a latency period is a dormant phase before something emerges or develops.
Period of falling behind
- waitDelay until later
- pauseTemporary cessation of activity
- intervalDuration between two points
- holdupTheft by threat
slowdown · hesitation · gap · timeout · turnaround · stall · bottleneck · hiatus
State of being inactive
- inactivityLack of movement
- torporInactive, sluggish state
- hibernationProlonged winter dormancy
- restCessation of activity
stillness · incubation · remission · abeyance · suspension · inactive · potential · underlying
Brief metallic tone
- jitterSmall, rapid variation
- bufferingTemporary data accumulation
- bandwidthData transmission capacity
- throughputProcessing rate over time
round-trip · TCP · UDP · router · congestion · traffic · fiber · ethernet
What prompts a reaction
- reflexInvoluntary stimulus response
- perceptionMental interpretation of stimuli
- processingSystematic operation on data
- thresholdPoint of beginning
signal · neuron · synapse · impulse · psychomotor · sensory · cognitive · motor
Maximizing efficiency or performance
- benchmarkingMeasuring against top performers
- profilingCharacterizing by patterns
- metricsStandards for assessment
- real-timeOccurring without processing delay
speed · efficiency · acceleration · tuning · bottleneck · load · scalability · throughput
lag
Period of falling behind
holdup · slowdown · hesitation · gap · timeout · turnaround · stall · bottleneck · hiatus · intermission
quiescence
State of being inactive
- inactivityLack of movement
- torporInactive, sluggish state
- hibernationProlonged winter dormancy
rest · stillness · incubation · remission · abeyance · suspension · inactive · potential · underlying · hidden
ping
Brief metallic tone
throughput · round-trip · TCP · UDP · router · congestion · traffic · fiber · ethernet · ISP
stimulus
What prompts a reaction
- reflexInvoluntary stimulus response
- perceptionMental interpretation of stimuli
- processingSystematic operation on data
threshold · signal · neuron · synapse · impulse · psychomotor · sensory · cognitive · motor · anticipation
optimization
Maximizing efficiency or performance
- benchmarkingMeasuring against top performers
- profilingCharacterizing by patterns
- metricsStandards for assessment
real-time · speed · efficiency · acceleration · tuning · bottleneck · load · scalability · throughput · cache
- internetinternet, websites, web, browsers, web browsers
- internet problemsslow connection, lag, buffering, no signal, weak signal
- tech problemsbug, paper jam, low ink, dropped calls, bugs
- networking termsrouters, switches, servers, firewalls, modems
- Technical termsalgorithm, bandwidth, calibration, coefficient, combustion
- Internet TelephonyVoIP, SIP, softphone, softphones, voice call
latencyimmediacy
Quality of being direct
instantaneousness · responsiveness · real-time · promptness · speed
latencyexpression
Conveyed thought or feeling
manifestation · visibility · emergence · revelation · appearance
latencyactivity
Engagement in doing
activation · expression · manifestation · continuation · resumption
- latent abilityUndeveloped skill present within
- latent heatPhase transition thermal energy
- low latencyMinimal transmission delay
- latent potentialAbility not yet manifest
- latent printHidden friction ridge impression
- latent imageInvisible recorded light pattern