descriptor

<operating system>

An integer, string or other small data value which refers to one of several objects allocated to a program by the operating system, usually the kernel. A common example is a Unix file descriptor which is a small integer that identifies an I/O channel. Another example is a reference to an area of memory (e.g. shared memory).

Compare capability.

Last updated: 1998-02-06

Nearby terms:

Descriptive Top-Level Specification ♦ descriptor ♦ design ♦ Design In Real Time

Try this search on Wikipedia, Wiktionary, Google, OneLook.

Loading