system

Pronunciation: /ˈsɪstəm/

Reading level: medium

Estimated CEFR level: A2 — Elementary

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun instrumentality that combines interrelated interacting artifacts designed to work as a coherent entity
  2. noun a group of independent but interrelated elements comprising a unified whole
  3. noun (physical chemistry) a sample of matter in which substances in different phases are in equilibrium

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.

In classic literature

Semantic network

Broader (hypernyms)
instrumentality
Narrower (hyponyms)
navigational system, propulsion system, maze, network, hookup, guidance system

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