simultaneous execution of two or more computer functions.
running more than one computer application at the same time. An operating system that permits multitaskingallows the user to be printing a document from one program while working in another, as well as downloading content from the Internet in the background.
the execution of more than one program apparently at the same time on the same computer. In reality, theCPUrapidly switches its attention among the various programs (see timesharing). Multitasking makes it possible to print one document while editing another or to perform lengthy computations "in the background" while working on something else on the screen.
A more primitive form of multitasking allows you to switch from one program to another, but only one program at a time actually runs; the others are frozen until you return to them. This kind of multitasking was implemented in versions of MicrosoftWindows before 3.0 and in early versions of the Macintosh operating system.
