parallel digital computer

parallel digital computer

[′par·ə‚lel ′dij·əd·əl kəm′pyüd·ər]

(computer science)

Computer in which the digits are handled in parallel; mixed serial and parallel machines are frequently called serial or parallel, according to the way arithmetic processes are performed; an example of a parallel digital computer is one which handles decimal digits in parallel, although it might handle the bits constituting a digit either serially or in parallel.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.