Asynchronism

/ˌeɪˈsɪŋkrənɪzəm/ noun

Definition

The quality or state of not occurring at the same time; events or processes that are not synchronized.

Etymology

From asynchronous (Greek 'a-' not + 'synchronos' happening at the same time) plus the suffix '-ism' indicating a state or condition. The term became formalized as electronic technology made timing mismatches increasingly relevant.

Kelly Says

Asynchronism explains why when you call someone across the world, there's a slight delay before they hear you speak—the radio waves take time to travel, creating a built-in asynchronism that makes real-time conversation weird on satellites!

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