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Glite Dictionary
🔢 Minimal elements ⚛️ Number of atoms 🟦 Indivisible action
atomicity

atomicity

9.2
An action that happens completely or not at all, especially in computing
  • noun
  • /əˌtɑːˈmɪsɪti/
  • Specialized
translation icon : indivisibilidad
  • In database design, atomicity ensures that transactions are completed fully or not at all, maintaining data integrity.

Examples

  • In order for students to read fluently, they need to develop the skills needed to read the words on the page effortlessly, as well as accurately (atomicity) with appropriate speed and expression (parsody).

    Academic text (2015)

  • Furthermore, the multiple in-flight transactions share data within the internal database constructs, and there is a great deal of database journal lock contention due to the ACID (atomicity, consistency, isolation, durability) requirements of TPC-C 1.

    Academic text (2000)

  • The principle of atomicity in programming means each operation is treated as a single, indivisible unit, which helps prevent errors.

  • Understanding atomicity is crucial in computing because it allows operations to be executed in a reliable way without interference.

Synonyms

indivisibility
vsatomicity
6.8

Cannot be separated into parts, for example rights or groups

emphasizes being made of discrete units and is used mainly in computing and science

Surface Forms

atomicity singular
atomicities plural

Morphology

atomicity = atomic (transparent) = atom + ic + ity

The computing sense is a regular nominalization of 'atomic' (indivisible), naming the quality or property of being atomic.

Etymology

The word atomicity comes from atom, meaning 'indivisible' or 'not cut into parts'. That is why in computing and science atomicity means an action must happen as one whole piece — 'all or nothing'.