What does "distributed" mean?

1. (spread over an area) spread out over a large area or among many people. 2. (computing) describing a system where many computers work together on the same task.

How do you use "distributed"?

Often used to describe databases, networks, or ledger technologies like blockchain.

distributed

adj.

US //dɪˈstɹɪbjətəd// UK //dˈɪstɹɪbjˌuːtɪd// dis·trib·uted

1 spread over an area (adj.)
B2 Upper Intermediate

spread out over a large area or among many people.

dispersed or scattered across a significant geographical area or throughout a population.

Example

The company has a distributed workforce with employees living in ten different countries.

Example

The species is widely distributed across the northern hemisphere, though its population density varies significantly by climate zone.
- concentrated
- centralised
2 computing (adj.)
C1 Advanced Technical Computing

describing a system where many computers work together on the same task.

relating to a system of multiple autonomous computers that communicate through a network to achieve a common goal.

Example

A distributed network is harder to crash because there is no single point of failure.

Example

The research team utilised a distributed computing model to process the massive datasets generated by the particle accelerator.

Usage

Often used to describe databases, networks, or ledger technologies like blockchain.
- decentralised
- networked
- centralised