latency
n. C / Un. the delay between when you do something and when you see the result. In technology, it usually refers to how fast data travels over a network.
n. the delay between a stimulus and a response, or the time elapsed between a command and its execution. Often refers to the lag in data transmission within a computer system or network.
High latency makes online gaming very difficult.
The new fiber-optic cables significantly reduced the network latency for users in the remote office.
In medical diagnostics, the latency period refers to the interval between exposure to a pathogen and the first appearance of clinical symptoms.
From latent + -ency.
Uncountable when referring to the general concept of delay; countable when discussing specific measured intervals.