Is concurrency a common word in everyday English?

Not really. It is more common in academic, technical, and computing contexts.

What is the difference between concurrency and parallelism?

Concurrency means tasks overlap in time. Parallelism means tasks happen at the exact same time.

Can I use concurrency in business writing?

Yes, but mainly when you mean overlapping activities, systems, or events.

← Dictionary

concurrency

/kənˈkʌr.ən.si/

IELTSAcademic

noun

The state of happening at the same time. In computing, it means several tasks or processes run together and share time.

The concurrency of the two events caused a scheduling problem.
The app supports high concurrency.
Concurrency can improve speed and response time.

Adinary Nuance

Concurrency is close to simultaneity, but it is used more often in technical and academic writing. It suggests things overlap in time, not just that they are identical or equal. In computing, it is different from parallelism: concurrency means tasks progress together, while parallelism means they run at the exact same time.

In other languages

Vietnamese: Tính đồng thời
Spanish: Concurrencia
Chinese: 并发
Japanese: 同時性
Korean: 동시성

Etymology

It comes from Latin concurrere, meaning “run together.” English began using concurrency in the 15th century, mainly for things happening at the same time.

Common phrases

high concurrencyconcurrency controlthe concurrency of eventsconcurrency model

Synonyms

simultaneity simultaneousness coincidence

Frequently asked questions

Is concurrency a common word in everyday English?: Not really. It is more common in academic, technical, and computing contexts.
What is the difference between concurrency and parallelism?: Concurrency means tasks overlap in time. Parallelism means tasks happen at the exact same time.
Can I use concurrency in business writing?: Yes, but mainly when you mean overlapping activities, systems, or events.