Random Access Memory
/ˌræn.dəm ˈæk.ses ˈmem.ər.i/noun
Computer memory that allows data to be retrieved directly from any location in roughly equal time.
Did you know?“Random access” does not mean chaotic: it means any memory location can be reached directly, unlike older sequential systems that had to pass through data in order.
Etymological Timeline
12th–13th Century
Old French
randon
“A rush, gallop, or uncontrolled force; the source of English “random.””
14th Century
Middle English
random
“Impetuous force or disorderly movement; later, chance or lack of a predictable pattern.”
Classical Latin
Latin
accessus
“An approach or coming near, from accedere, “to go toward.””
Classical Latin
Latin
memoria
“Memory, remembrance, or the faculty of remembering.”
17th Century
English
access
“A means of approaching, entering, or reaching something.”
1940s–1950s
English
random-access memory
“A computing term for memory in which individual storage locations can be selected directly.”
Modern English
English
RAM
“The standard abbreviation for random-access memory, the computer’s rapidly accessible working storage.”