For advanced learners mastering precise technical vocabulary used in professional, academic, and policy discussions about emerging digital technologies.
Free Technology & Digital vocabulary flashcards at the C1 level — all 35 words with definitions and examples. Study them with spaced repetition and use these words precisely, including nuance most learners miss.
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blockchain
a decentralised digital record of transactions shared across many computers so it cannot be altered.
neural network
a computing system modelled loosely on the human brain, used to recognise patterns in data.
data mining
the process of analysing large amounts of data to find useful patterns or insights.
cloud computing
the delivery of computing services such as storage and software over the internet instead of on local hardware.
latency
the delay between sending a request and receiving a response over a network.
biometric
relating to measuring unique physical characteristics, such as fingerprints or facial features, to verify identity.
augmented reality
technology that overlays digital information or images onto the real world viewed through a screen.
server-side
relating to processes that happen on a remote computer rather than on the user's own device.
obfuscation
the deliberate act of making code, data, or a message difficult to understand.
decentralised
relating to a system that has no single controlling authority, with control spread across many nodes.
edge computing
processing data near the source where it is generated rather than sending it to a distant server.
protocol
a set of agreed rules that controls how data is transmitted between devices on a network.
API
a set of rules that allows different software applications to communicate and share data with each other.
containerisation
a method of packaging software so it runs reliably in any computing environment.
redundancy
the duplication of critical system components to ensure availability if one part fails.
throughput
the amount of data successfully processed or transferred by a system in a given time period.
zero-day vulnerability
a security flaw in software that is unknown to the developer and therefore has no patch yet.
distributed system
a network of independent computers that work together and appear as one unified system to users.
tokenisation
the process of replacing sensitive data with a non-sensitive placeholder to protect the original.
natural language processing
a field of artificial intelligence that enables computers to understand and generate human language.
load balancing
the distribution of incoming network traffic across multiple servers to prevent any single one from being overloaded.
sandbox
an isolated environment where software can run or be tested without affecting the rest of the system.
asymmetric encryption
an encryption method that uses a public key to lock data and a private key to unlock it.
deep learning
a type of machine learning that uses many layers of neural networks to analyse complex data.
digital twin
a virtual replica of a physical object or process used to simulate, predict, or monitor it.
interoperability
the ability of different systems, devices, or software to work together and exchange data.
microservices
an architectural approach where an application is built as small independent services that communicate via APIs.
semantic web
an extension of the internet where data is structured so machines can understand meaning, not just text.
perpetual licence
a one-time payment that gives the buyer permanent rights to use a piece of software.
denial-of-service attack
a cyber attack that floods a server with traffic to make a website or service unavailable.
inference
the process of using a trained machine learning model to make predictions on new data.
semantic search
a search technique that understands the meaning of a query rather than just matching exact words.
federated learning
a machine learning method where a model is trained across many devices without the data leaving each device.
regulatory compliance
the process of following laws and rules that govern how data and technology must be used.
immutable
describing data or records that cannot be changed or deleted after they are created.