# SLI

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/sli
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. performance measurement

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

Stands for Service Level Indicator. It is a specific measurement used to see how well a service, like a website, is working.

For teachers: Abbreviation for Service Level Indicator. A quantitative measure of some aspect of the level of service that is provided, typically used in site reliability engineering (SRE).

- The team checked the SLI to see if the website was loading fast enough.
- The engineers defined request latency as a key SLI to determine whether the system was meeting its performance targets.

Usage: Commonly used in the plural (SLIs) when discussing a suite of metrics.

Teaching tip: In business and IT, this is often discussed alongside SLAs (Agreements) and SLOs (Objectives).

### 2. language disorder

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

Stands for Specific Language Impairment. This is a condition where a child has trouble learning and using language, even if they are healthy in other ways.

For teachers: Abbreviation for Specific Language Impairment. A developmental disorder characterized by language deficits in the absence of neurological damage, hearing loss, or intellectual disability.

- Children with SLI may need extra help from a speech therapist at school.
- The study examined how SLI affects a child's ability to master complex grammatical structures during early childhood development.

Usage: Often used as an uncountable noun to describe the condition.

Teaching tip: Note that many modern practitioners are moving toward the term 'Developmental Language Disorder' (DLD) instead of SLI.

### 3. computer graphics

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

Stands for Scalable Link Interface. It is a way to connect two or more graphics cards together to make a computer faster at games.

For teachers: Abbreviation for Scalable Link Interface. A brand name for a multi-GPU technology developed by NVIDIA for linking two or more video cards together to produce a single output.

- He used an SLI bridge to connect his two video cards for better gaming.
- While SLI was once popular for high-end gaming rigs, modern GPU architectures have made multi-card setups less common for average users.

Usage: Usually functions as a noun adjunct (e.g., 'SLI configuration' or 'SLI bridge').

Teaching tip: This is a specific brand technology; the competitor (AMD) uses the term 'CrossFire'.

## Examples

- We use response time as our main SLI for the website.
- The engineering team tracks every SLI to ensure the application remains stable during high traffic.
- By choosing the right SLI, such as the percentage of successful requests, the company can accurately measure the true user experience, though the term can also refer to Speech and Language Impairment in medical contexts.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.