STUDENT DICTIONARY
Computer Basics and Word Processing
1. ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY:
An organization’s rules for
computer use.
2. ACTIVE WINDOW: The current
viewing area on a computer
screen.
3. ADDRESS: Used to reference
the cells in a spreadsheet.
These are usually made up of
column letters along the top
and row numbers down the
side.
4. ANTI-VIRUS PROGRAM:
Software that monitors the
system for viruses by looking at
irregularities in the system.
5. APPLICATION: another word for
a program or software.
6. ARROW KEYS: Located on the
right hand side of the keyboard.
Used to move the cursor one cell
position at a time.
7. AXIS: A horizontal or vertical
line drawn on a graph to
define points of reference.
8. BAR CHART: A form of graph
in which numeric values are
represented by horizontal or
vertical rectangles.
9. BIT: The smallest unit of
information that a computer can
process. It is a binary digit, either
0 or 1.
10. BOLD: A font style that makes
letters and words darker.
These words are bold.
These words are not.
11. BROWSER: Software that allows
users to access and navigate the
contents of the Internet. Firefox
and Google Chrome are the two
most popular examples of this
type of software.
12. BUG: An error or defect in
software or hardware that causes
a program to malfunction.
13. CELL: The intersection of a row and a
column; the smallest element in which
you can enter data.
14. CELL POINTER: Highlights the
current active cell.
15. CELL RANGE:
Two cell references, usually separated
by a colon, defining a cell block. The
first reference must be to the cell in one
corner of the block and the second
reference to the cell in the diagonally
opposite corner. (A1:C3)
16. CENTRAL PROCESSING UNIT
or CPU: where all of the
information you put into the
computer is stored.
17. CHAT: An electronic
conversation.
18. CLICKING: Pointing to
something on the screen and
then pushing the button on the
mouse is called clicking.
19. CLIENT: A computer that is
controlled by the server.
20. CLOSE BOX: Located in the
upper right-hand corner of a
window and will exit a window.
21. COLD BOOT: Starting the computer
by turning on the power source of the
computer.
22. COLUMN: Vertical selection of
cells identified by one or more
letters.
23. COLUMN WIDTH- The distance
from one side of a cell to the
other side.
24. COOKIE: A small file on your
computer that has information
and identification allowing you
faster access to a website.
25. CRASH: A serious computer failure. It
means that the computer itself stops
working or that a program aborts
unexpectedly. It signifies either a
hardware malfunction or a very serious
software problem.
26. CURSOR: A marker on the
screen that shows where current
input or output is going to
happen.
27. DELETE: Removing an item of data
from a file or removing a file from a disk.
28. DESKTOP: The screen you see
first when your computer turns
on. This screen has many icons.
29. DIALOGUE BOX: A window that
opens and asks you questions.
30. DIGITAL CAMERA: A still or
video device that stores
images in digital form.
31. DISK DRIVE: The place where
you put your floppy disk so that
you can save files on it.
32. DISKS: One way to save your
work, like recording on a video
tape.
33. DOCUMENT: Anything you
create in Microsoft Word is called
a document.
34. DRAGGING: Moving objects
around the screen.
35. EMAIL: Electronic messages
and mail sent over the Internet.
36. ENTER KEY:
The key (on a computer
keyboard) that causes the
current entry to be accepted
by the program, or that ends a
paragraph/line.
37. FILE: a piece of computer
information such as a document
or part of a computer program.
Stored information.
38. FOLDER: like a file folder in a
filing cabinet, a file is where
documents (letters,
spreadsheets, etc.) are kept.
39. FONT: The way letters and
words look.
40. FONT SIZE: The size of text.
41. FORMAT: Changing the way
that text looks on the page.
12 point
16 point
THIS is formatted.
This is not formatted.
42. FORMULA- Used to perform
calculations in Excel.
43. FREEWARE & SHAREWARE:
Copyrighted software
distributed on a free-will
donation; can usually be
found on the Internet or
passed along from person to
person.
44. HACKING: The practice of
breaking into a computer’s
stored data, usually by gaining
access to administrative
controls.
45. HARDWARE: All the parts of
the computer that you can touch:
the monitor, CPU, printer, mouse,
and keyboard.
24 point
46. HARDCOPY:
Printed output or a
piece of paper with data on it.
47. HARD DRIVE: the place inside
your computer where programs
and files are stored.
48. HEADSET: earphones and a
microphone that you wear on
your head.
49. HIGHLIGHT/SELECTING: Click
and drag across a word or
sentence to highlight it. When it
is highlighted you can make
changes to it.
50. HOME PAGE: The first(opening)
page of a website.
51. HTML: HyperText markup
language. The computer
language that is used to create a
website.
52. HYPERLINK: A highlighted word
or graphic in a website that takes
a user to ta different location on
the Internet.
53. ICON: Symbols or pictures that
you can click on to perform an
action. Each program has its
own icon.
54. INPUT: Information or data
that is entered into the
computer. This may be
entered by the use of a
mouse, keyboard,
microphone, scanner,
memory stick or card, digital
camera, etc.
55. ITALICS: A font style that slants
words to the right.
56. ISP(INTERENT SERVICE
PROVIDER): Any organization
that provides access to the
Internet.
57. KEYBOARD: Like a typewriter,
it’s where you type and enter
numbers. It is one way to tell the
computer what you want it to do.
58. LAPTOP: a portable computer
that you can carry with you.
59. Left and Right Arrows: Moves
the contents of a window
horizontally.
60. LINE GRAPH- An axis-type graph
in which data points are joined by a
line.
61. Mac or MACINTOSH: A
computer that is made to use the
Macintosh operating system.
There are two basic kinds of
computers: PCs and Macs.
62. MEMORY: Data stored on a
computer either temporarily or
permanently.
63. MENU BAR: The words at the
top of the screen. Click on these
words and you see menus of
other things you can do.
64.
MENU: A list of commands
you can do. You see a menu
when you click on one of the
words on the Menu Bar.
65. MICROSOFT: A software
company owned by Bill Gates.
66. MICROSOFT POWERPOINT: a
software program for making
presentations that you can show
to others.
67. MICROSOFT WINDOWS: an
operating system made by the
Microsoft company.
68. MICROSOFT WORD: A wordprocessing program for typing
letters, resumes, school papers
and more.
69. MINIMIZE: to collapse a window
to the bottom of the screen/task
bar without closing the window.
70. MAXIMIZE: to expand a window
to the full size of the screen.
71. RESTORE: to make a window
smaller so that you can change
the size or position.
72. MODEM: A device that provides
a computer a gateway to the
Internet.
73. MONITOR: Your computer’s
screen
74. MOTHERBOARD: The printed
circuit board that is the
foundation of a computer, this
board contains a computer’s
CPU, RAM chips, and expansion
slots.
75. MOUSE: The tool you can use
tell the computer what to do. For
example you can open programs
and files by clicking or double
clicking.
76. MULTIMEDIA: Any
combination of audio, video,
animation, text, and graphics.
77. NETIQUETTE: The set of
manners and rules of conduct for
Internet users.
78. NETWORK: A group of
connected computers that allows
people to share information and
equipment.
79. NUMERIC- Anything that is a
number.
80. OPEN: A command on the File
Menu that brings files onto the
screen so that you can see them.
81. OPERATING SYSTEM: the
most important program in your
computer. This program is like
the “manager” of all of the other
programs.
82. OPTICAL DRIVE: Uses a laser
to rewrite CDs or DVDs. Protects
your data on a disk by keeping it
in a sleeve.
83. OUTPUT: Any computer-
generated information
displayed on a screen or
printed on a piece of paper.
84. PATH: The steps for navigating
to a specific location on the
Internet.
85. PC = PERSONAL COMPUTER
a computer that is made to use
the Windows operating system.
There are two basic kinds of
computers: PCs and Macs.
86. PIE CHART-A form of graph
which represents numeric
values as segments of a circle.
87. POINTING: The line or arrow
that you control by moving the
mouse.
88. POWER SUPPLY: Usually sits
at the top of the computer case
and supplies power. A high=end
machine can burn up to 800
watts.
89. PROGRAMS: Another word for
software or applications.
90. RAM or RANDOM ACCESS
MEMORY: Sits on the
motherboard. Holds the data of
running software.
91. ROM or READ ONLY MEMORY:
Computer memory on which data
has been prerecorded. It is
permanent memory that can be
only be read and cannot be
erased.
92. ROW- The horizontal cells in one
line of a spreadsheet
93. SCANNER: A device that reads printed
material and converts it into an image for the
computer.
94. SCREEN SAVER: A design on
the screen that turns on if you
don’t use your computer for a few
minutes.
95. SCROLL BARS: The bars on
the sides of the screen that allow
you to move up or down the
page.
96. SEARCH ENGINE: A program
that searches a database of
websites for words that you enter
into the program. Google, Bing,
Yahoo
97. SELECTING: Pointing to an
object and highlighting it.
98. SERVER: A computer or device
on a network that manages
network resources.
99. SOFTWARE: another word for
programs, instructions in the
computer that help it do different
tasks
100.
SOFTWARE PIRACY:
The illegal use, copying, or
distribution of software.
101.
SPAM: Unwanted and
unsolicited email.
102.
SPELL CHECK: When
you’re using Microsoft Word, you
can click on this button to look for
spelling and grammar mistakes.
103.
SPREADSHEET: A
worksheet arranged in a matrix
allowing for computation and
analysis in an easy-to-read
format.
104.
SURFING THE WEB:
Moving from one website to
another.
105.
SURGE PROTECTOR: A
device that connects a computer to
an electrical outlet and protects the
computer against sudden increases in
electrical power.
106.
TELECOMMUNICATIONS:
Transmitting and receiving
data over a long distance.
107.
TITLE BAR: Located at
the top of a window. The name of
a window is located on this icon.
108.
TOOL BARS: The bars
across the top of the screen that
have icons you click on to do
different things.
109.
Up and Down Arrows:
Moves the contents of a window
vertically.
110.
URL(Uniform Resource
Locator): The address
required to connect to a
website.
111.
USB DRIVE: a disk that
you can save information on.
Also called a flash drive, jump
drive, or thumb drive.
112.
USERNAME: A code used by
individuals, in addition to a password, that
lets them access a network computer, an
online service, etc.
113.
VIDEO CARD: Creates
the images that appear on the
monitor.
114.
VIRUS: A manmade program
or piece of code that is loaded onto your
computer without your knowledge and
runs against your wishes. These can also
replicate themselves.
115.
WARM BOOT: Reloading a
computer's operating system by using a
reset operation. Like using the log-off/log
-on function.
116.
WEBSITE: A location on
the Internet where information is
presented using graphics, text,
and sound.
117.
WORD PROCESSING:
Typing documents on a
computer. Word processing also
allows you to format, save, and
edit your writing.
118.
WORLD WIDE WEB: An
information system on the
Internet that allows documents to
be connected to other documents
by hypertext links, enabling the
user to search for information by
moving from one document to
another.
119.
WORM: A program or
algorithm that replicates itself over a
computer network and usually performs
malicious actions such as using up the
computer's resources and possibly
shutting the system down.
120.
Y-AXIS- The vertical axis of
an axis-type graph
121.
X-AXIS- The horizontal axis
of an axis-type graph.