configuration
- 01 B2 Upper Intermediate
the way that parts of something are organized or positioned to form a specific shape or system.
the relative arrangement or disposition of the parts or elements of a thing.
Simple“The seating configuration in the hall allowed everyone to see the stage clearly.”
In context“The aircraft's wing configuration was specifically designed to reduce drag and improve fuel efficiency during long-haul flights.”
Synonyms - 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
the specific settings or parts that make a computer or software work in a certain way.
the functional arrangement of hardware and software components in a computer system, or the specific settings chosen for a program.
Simple“You can change the network configuration in the system settings menu.”
In context“The server's default configuration proved insufficient for the high volume of traffic received during the product launch.”
UsageOften used as an uncountable noun when referring to the process of setting up.
Synonyms - 03 C1 Advanced
the way that electrons or atoms are arranged in a molecule.
the spatial arrangement of atoms in a molecule or the distribution of electrons in atomic orbitals.
Simple“The chemical properties of the element depend on its electron configuration.”
In context“Researchers observed that a slight change in the molecular configuration completely altered the compound's reactivity with the catalyst.”
Usage largely configuration · particular configuration
“Russian foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova has said drones using UK components and configurations were used to attack Russian territory, including a fuel depot in the Kamensky District of the Rostov Region.”
“The ancestral configuration may have been retained in Neanderthals and in modern human females, while the modern human male pelvis underwent substantial evolutionary modification, giving rise to a distinctive anatomical configuration.”
From Middle French configuration, from Latin cōnfigūrātiō. Morphologically configure + -ation.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.