mainframe
['meinfreim]
n.

[]



mainframe
[ noun ]

1. a large digital computer serving 100-400 users and occupying a special air-conditioned room

<noun.artifact>

2. (computer science) the part of a computer (a microprocessor chip) that does most of the data processing

<noun.artifact>
the CPU and the memory form the central part of a computer to which the peripherals are attached

mainframe \main"frame`\ n. (Computers)
1. A large digital computer serving 100-400 users and
occupying a special air-conditioned room. At any given
point in development of computer technology, the mainframe
will be faster, have large main memeory, and be more
capable than a {minicomputer}, which will in turn be
faster and more capable than a {personal computer}. The
typical personal computer in 1999 is faster than a
mainframe was in 1970.

Syn: mainframe computer.
[WordNet 1.5 +PJC]

2. The board holding the CPU and the memory forming the
central part of a computer to which the peripherals are
attached.
[WordNet 1.5]