a group of connected parts that work together as a single whole
The solar system contains eight planets circling the Sun.
The city's new bus system links every neighborhood.
✦ From Latin ‘systema’, from Ancient Greek ‘sústēma’ meaning ‘organized whole’.
an organized method or set of rules for doing something
She created a color-coded filing system to keep her paperwork organized.
The points system rewards students for helping classmates.
the body of a human or animal thought of as a working whole, or a particular network of organs
After the long flight, her system was tired and dehydrated.
Vitamin C boosts the immune system.
a complete computer together with its operating software and hardware
My old system can’t run the latest game.
The new security system blocks unknown devices.
all the living things in a particular place, together with the air, water, and soil they depend on and the way they affect one another
The coral reef ecosystem supports thousands of colorful fish and plants.
When wolves returned to Yellowstone, the entire ecosystem changed in surprising ways.
✦ From eco-, a shortening of ecology, + system, first used in the 1930s to describe natural communities.
a complex network of companies, products, or activities that depend on and support one another, especially in business or technology
Thanks to its many apps and accessories, the smartphone ecosystem keeps users loyal to the brand.
Start-ups often grow faster when they join a supportive tech ecosystem.
✦ Figurative extension of the biological sense, first applied to business and technology in the late 20th century.
