virtual machine
compound.compound. a computer program that acts like a separate, physical computer. It lets you run different operating systems or software in a safe, isolated space on your main machine.
compound. an emulation of a computer system that provides the functionality of a physical computer. It operates in an isolated environment, allowing multiple operating systems to run concurrently on a single piece of hardware.
I use a virtual machine to run Windows on my Mac.
Software developers often test their code on a virtual machine to ensure it works across different operating systems without needing multiple physical computers.
Cloud computing providers leverage virtual machine technology to partition physical server resources among multiple clients, ensuring that each user's data and processes remain strictly isolated from others.
Formed from the adjective virtual, denoting something that exists in effect though not in actual fact, and machine. The term gained prominence in the 1960s, notably associated with the development of the CP-40 and CP/CMS systems at IBM's Cambridge Scientific Center.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Often abbreviated as VM in technical contexts.
Last updated July 22, 2026