"*nix" meaning in English

See *nix in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

Forms: *nixes [plural], *nices [plural]
Etymology: Apparently from the wildcard *, indicating any sequence of characters, and Unix and Linux. Head templates: {{en-noun|:*nixes|:*nices}} *nix (plural *nixes or *nices)
  1. (computing, Internet) Unix and various other similar or compatible operating systems. Tags: Internet Categories (topical): Computing, Internet, Unix Synonyms: UN*X
{
  "etymology_text": "Apparently from the wildcard *, indicating any sequence of characters, and Unix and Linux.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "*nixes",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "*nices",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": ":*nixes",
        "2": ":*nices"
      },
      "expansion": "*nix (plural *nixes or *nices)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 1 entry",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Computing",
          "orig": "en:Computing",
          "parents": [
            "Technology",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Internet",
          "orig": "en:Internet",
          "parents": [
            "Computing",
            "Networking",
            "Technology",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Unix",
          "orig": "en:Unix",
          "parents": [
            "Computing",
            "Technology",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Linux, Mac OS X, AIX, Solaris, and DG/UX are examples of *nixes."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Unix and various other similar or compatible operating systems."
      ],
      "id": "en-*nix-en-noun-3WFWWLlg",
      "links": [
        [
          "computing",
          "computing#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "Internet",
          "Internet"
        ],
        [
          "Unix",
          "Unix"
        ],
        [
          "compatible",
          "compatible"
        ],
        [
          "operating system",
          "operating system"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(computing, Internet) Unix and various other similar or compatible operating systems."
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "UN*X"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Internet"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "computing",
        "engineering",
        "mathematics",
        "natural-sciences",
        "physical-sciences",
        "sciences"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "*nix"
}
{
  "etymology_text": "Apparently from the wildcard *, indicating any sequence of characters, and Unix and Linux.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "*nixes",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "*nices",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": ":*nixes",
        "2": ":*nices"
      },
      "expansion": "*nix (plural *nixes or *nices)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English countable nouns",
        "English entries with incorrect language header",
        "English lemmas",
        "English nouns",
        "English nouns with irregular plurals",
        "English terms spelled with *",
        "Pages with 1 entry",
        "Pages with entries",
        "en:Computing",
        "en:Internet",
        "en:Unix"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Linux, Mac OS X, AIX, Solaris, and DG/UX are examples of *nixes."
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Unix and various other similar or compatible operating systems."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "computing",
          "computing#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "Internet",
          "Internet"
        ],
        [
          "Unix",
          "Unix"
        ],
        [
          "compatible",
          "compatible"
        ],
        [
          "operating system",
          "operating system"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(computing, Internet) Unix and various other similar or compatible operating systems."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Internet"
      ],
      "topics": [
        "computing",
        "engineering",
        "mathematics",
        "natural-sciences",
        "physical-sciences",
        "sciences"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "word": "UN*X"
    }
  ],
  "word": "*nix"
}

Download raw JSONL data for *nix meaning in English (1.3kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2025-04-02 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2025-03-21 using wiktextract (db8a5a5 and fb63907). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

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