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Glite Dictionary
random access memory

random access memory

1 3.7
A fast place in a computer where programs keep data while the computer runs
  • noun
  • /ˈrændəm ˈæksɛs ˈmɛməri/
  • Specialized
translation icon : memoria de acceso aleatorio
  • The amount of random access memory in your computer affects its performance while running applications.
  • RAM (random access memory)
  • dynamic random access memory
  • random access memory chip

Examples

  • At the very least, your PC should be a 486 computer with a minimum speed of 33 MHz and have eight megabytes or more of RAM (random access memory).

    Academic text (1997)

  • Samsung went from chip assembly to global leadership in 64K random access memory chip production, allied with IBM and other electronics leaders.

    Academic text (1997)

  • This time I'm going to talk about Random Access Memory or RAM.

  • During the minutes spent booting up, the random access memory is filled with the operating system read off the hard drive.

    Academic text (2003)

  • And typically you have a lot of fast static random access memory, SRAM on the same chip.

  • Hardware—the computer's random access memory, hard disk, and processor—set fundamental limits on what the computer can do, independent of the sophistication of the software.

    Academic text (2010)

  • Clockwork computers might seem fanciful, but a company in Massachusetts has already built a prototype of a mechanical memory device that promises to be far more powerful than present-day random access memory chips.

    Academic text (2003)

  • Increasing the random access memory can help speed up your computer's processing capabilities.

  • For optimal gaming performance, it is recommended to have at least 16 gigabytes of random access memory.

Synonyms

RAM
vsrandom access memory
  • Specialized
27 3.5

Computer memory that stores data for a short time while the computer is on

is the full spelled-out technical name rather than the short form
random-access memory
vsrandom access memory
  • Specialized
3.8

Space inside a computer where programs keep data while running and that is lost when the computer turns off

is the same concept but written without the hyphen
random memory
vsrandom access memory
  • Specialized
5.7

A part of a computer that stores data for a short time while it runs

uses the more standard phrasing focusing on program retrieval
read/write memory
vsrandom access memory
  • Specialized
4.2

A part of a computer that stores data for a short time the system can read and change while running

highlights access by any order rather than just read or write ability

How Fast

memory cache
  • Specialized
1 4.8
random access memory
  • Specialized
1 3.7
solid-state
  • Specialized
1 5.5
hard drive
  • Specialized
106 2.8

Surface Forms

random access memory singular
random access memories plural

Morphology

random + access + memory

The phrase is compositionally analyzable—B1 learners who know 'random', 'access', and 'memory' can infer it refers to memory that can be accessed in a non-sequential or arbitrary order. However, the full technical sense (volatile, program working storage and the specialized computing sense of 'random access' versus ordinary 'random') requires domain knowledge, so the meaning is not fully predictable from the parts for an average B1 learner.

Etymology

Random access memory comes from the idea that the computer can reach any part of its memory directly. Imagine a library where you can pull any book from any shelf without reading the others—random means not in order and access means 'get to', so the name explains why this memory lets a computer quickly store and read data while it runs.