qos
n.n. Stands for Quality of Service. A way to manage internet or network traffic to make sure important data, like a video call, stays smooth and fast.
n. Abbreviation for Quality of Service. The description or measurement of the overall performance of a service, such as a telephony or computer network, particularly with regard to the prioritisation of specific data types to ensure low latency and packet loss.
The router uses QoS to prioritize my video calls over large downloads.
The network administrator adjusted the QoS settings to ensure that the office's VoIP system remained clear during peak hours.
Implementing robust QoS protocols is essential for maintaining the integrity of real-time applications, as it allows the system to allocate bandwidth dynamically based on the urgency of the traffic.
An initialism of the phrase quality of service. The term emerged from telecommunications engineering to describe the performance of telephony and data networks.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Often used as a modifier before another noun, such as 'QoS settings' or 'QoS policy'.
Last updated July 22, 2026