I. ˈsiŋkrənəs, -ink- adjective
Etymology: Late Latin synchronos, from Greek, from syn- + chronos time
1. : happening, existing, or arising at the same time
having their beginning at different times, although their endings were synchronous — Encyc. Americana
recovery was synchronous with therapy — Journal American Medical Association
2. : recurring or operating at exactly the same periods : marked by strict and exact coincidence in time, rate, or rhythm
the synchronous action of a bird's wings in flight
synchronous set of clocks
3. : involving or indicating synchronism
synchronous account of World War II
4. : having the same period ; also : having the same period and phase
synchronous vibrations
synchronous oscillations
Synonyms: see contemporary
II. adjective
: of, used in, or being digital communication (as between computers) in which a common timing signal is established that dictates when individual bits can be transmitted, in which characters are not individually delimited, and which allows for very high rates of data transfer