Definify.com

Definition 2024


wait_state

wait state

See also: waitstate

English

Noun

wait state (plural wait states)

  1. (computing) Any of several instances in which a computer's processor cannot execute instructions (either for the entire computer, or just for a specific task) until an I/O operation completes, or until an interrupt is resolved
    With memory that slow, the processor is going to spend most of its time on wait states.