timeout

time·out
T1I1M3E1O1U1T1
/ˈtaɪm.aʊt/

noun

The allowed maximal time for a process to end normally.

“My connection was so slow that I kept receiving timeouts when trying to view Web pages.”

CommonScrabble 9
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Meanings

nountimeout (plural timeouts)

plural timeouts · alternative time out

  1. communicationThe allowed maximal time for a process to end normally.
  2. communicationThe intentional termination of an incomplete task after a time limit considered long enough for it to end normally.

    My connection was so slow that I kept receiving timeouts when trying to view Web pages.

  3. alternativehobbiesAlternative form of time-out.

Origin

From time + out.

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Bulgarian прекъсване
  • прекъсване (prekăsvane)the intentional termination of an incomplete task after a time limit
Estonian ajakatkestus
  • ajakatkestusthe intentional termination of an incomplete task after a time limit
Finnish aikakatkaisuaika, aikakatkaisu
  • aikakatkaisuaikathe allowed maximal time for a process to end normally
  • aikakatkaisuthe intentional termination of an incomplete task after a time limit
German Timeout, Zeitbeschränkung
  • Timeoutthe allowed maximal time for a process to end normally
  • Zeitbeschränkungthe allowed maximal time for a process to end normally
  • Timeoutthe intentional termination of an incomplete task after a time limit
  • Zeitüberschreitungthe intentional termination of an incomplete task after a time limit
Hungarian időtúllépés
  • időtúllépésthe intentional termination of an incomplete task after a time limit
Portuguese estouro, timeout
  • estourothe intentional termination of an incomplete task after a time limit
  • timeoutthe intentional termination of an incomplete task after a time limit
Spanish caducación, caducación
  • caducaciónthe allowed maximal time for a process to end normally
  • caducaciónthe intentional termination of an incomplete task after a time limit
Turkish süre sınırlaması, süre aşımı
  • süre sınırlamasıthe allowed maximal time for a process to end normally
  • süre aşımıthe intentional termination of an incomplete task after a time limit
Cite this entry
APA

timeout. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/timeout

MLA

“timeout.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/timeout. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “timeout,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/timeout.

Source: timeout on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.