Glossary
Terms starting with O
127 definitions · page 1 of 3.
- O-type star
- a hot, massive blue star that emits strongly at ultraviolet wavelengths and has a surface temperature between about 28,000 to 40,000 kelvins
- OAPEC
- Acronym for Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries founded in 1968 for cooperation in economic and petroleum affairs. See OPEC.
- Oath
- To take an oath is to swear by declaration that you are telling the truth. Lying under oath during a trial or deposition may expose one to criminal liability for perjury.
- Oath of Office
- The oath of office is taken when the officeholder takes the position officially. The oath of office is usually prescribed by statute or constitution. Generally, the oath of office is a statement that the officeholder will uphold the terms of office and…
- OB association
- a loose grouping of O and B stars, which are the most luminous, most massive, and shortest-lived stars
- Obiter Dictum
- Dictum, or obiter dictum, is a statement found in an appellate court's written opinion that states the court's position as to the law but the position is not on an issue directly necessary to the legal point being decided in the case. Dicta is not precedent…
- objective
- a telescope’s primary lens or mirror that gathers light and brings it to a focus
- OBLIGATION TO SERVE
- The obligation of a utility to provide electric service to any customer who seeks that service, and is willing to pay the rates set for that service. Traditionally, utilities have assumed the obligation to serve in return for an exclusive monopoly franchise.
- obliquity
- the angle between a planet’s equator and the plane of its orbit
- OC-1 OC-3 OC-12 OC-24 OC-48
- Optical Carrier transmission speeds, used in fiber optic networks conforming to SONET standard. OC-1 is 51.85 Mbps. Higher levels are multiples of that speed.
- OC-1, OC-3, OC-12, OC-24, OC-48
- Optical Carrier transmission speeds, used in fiber optic networks conforming to SONET standard. OC-1 is 51.85 Mbps. Higher levels are multiples of that speed.
- occultation
- the passage of one object in front of a smaller one, temporarily obscuring all or part of the background object from view
- OCCUPANCY SENSOR
- A control device that senses the presence of a person in a given space, commonly used to control lighting systems in buildings.
- OCCUPATIONAL DISEASE
- Abnormal condition or illness caused by factors associated with the workplace. Like occupational injuries, this is covered by workers compensation policies. (See Workers compensation)
- Occupational Outlook Handbook
- A guide detailing more than 250 occupations including the nature of the work and the typing working environment/conditions for each occupation as well as the requirements for entry and advancement opportunities. Published by the US Department of Labor…
- OCCURRENCE POLICY
- Insurance that pays claims arising out of incidents that occur during the policy term, even if they are filed many years later. (See Claims-made policy)
- OCEAN MARINE INSURANCE
- Coverage of all types of vessels and watercraft, for property damage to the vessel and cargo, including such risks as piracy and the jettisoning of cargo to save the property of others. Coverage for marine-related liabilities. War is excluded from basic…
- OCEAN THERMAL GRADIENT (OTG)
- Temperature differences between deep and surface water. Deep water is likely to be 25 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit colder. The term also refers to experimental technology that could use the temperature differences as a means to produce energy.
- ochre codon
- The codon UAA, a nonsense codon.
- octad
- An ascus containing eight ascospores, produced in species in which the tetrad normally undergoes a postmeiotic mitotic division.
- OCTANE
- A rating scale used to grade gasoline as to its antiknock properties. Also any of several isometric liquid paraffin hydrocarbons, C8H18. Normal octane is a colorless liquid found in petroleum boiling at 124.6 degrees Celsius.
- OCTANE RATING
- A measure of a gasolineàs resistance to exploding too early in the engine cycle, which causes knocking. The higher the rating, the lower the chance of premature ignition.
- octave
- The interval in which one pitch is doubled (or halved) in frequency by another pitch. The octave is found in virtually all music systems.
- ODBC
- (Open Database Connectivity) A standard allowing applications to access different databases in an uniform way.
- Off-line Game
- A game that does not require the use of a computer terminal for purchase. Instant and passive games are examples of off-line games.
- off-the-shoulder neck
- A neckline that lies gently hovering across the top of the bustline with the shoulders uncovered or able to be seen through the sheer yoke of net or organza attached to a high collar.
- Offal
- The internal organs and innards of an animal or fish, including brain, liver, kidney, tripe, and heart. It can also refer to the animal's extremities, too, such as head, tail, trotters and tongue.
- Offer of Employment
- An offer made by an employer to a potential employee. An offer of employment should outline the specific terms of employment, including the start date, salary and overall working conditions. Also known as a 'job offer'
- Office
- (Divine) The eight daily worship services, apart from the Mass, in the Roman Catholic Church.
- Offline
- The state of the computer when it is not connected to the network (i.e. it is not online).
- OFFROAD
- Any nonstationary device, powered by an internal combustion engine or motor, used primarily off the highways to propel, move, or draw persons or property, and used in any of the following applications: marine vessels, construction/farm equipment…
- OHM
- A unit of measure of electrical resistance. One volt can produce a current of one ampere through a resistance of one ohm.
- OIL SHALE
- A type of rock containing organic matter that produces large amounts of oil when heated to high temperatures.
- Okazaki fragment
- Segment of newly replicated DNA produced during discontinuous DNA replication.
- Okra
- Also known as ladies' fingers because of their shape, this is a vegetable that's widely used in Indian, Middle Eastern, Caribbean and southern US cookery, where it's an essential ingredient of gumbo. A long green pod with a slightly fuzzy skin, it's full of…
- Older Workers
- Those seeking work who are older than 45. This group of job seekers face greater challenges whilst searching for work than any other group of potential employees. Sometimes also known as 'Mature Workers'
- OLIGOPOLY
- A few sellers who exert market control overprices.
- Olive
- The small oval fruit of the olive tree, widely cultivated in Mediterranean countries such as Spain, Italy, France and Greece. Olives are harvested and preserved in oil or brine at various stages of their development. The early olives are green, while the…
- Olive oil
- Pressed from olives, this is a rich, fruity oil used for marinades, dressings, baking and shallow frying. Hundreds of varieties of olive are used to make olive oil so the range available is huge, varying in colour, flavour, aroma and character. Produced…
- omega
- 1. the ratio of the density of the universe to the critical density 2. the 24th letter of the Greek alphabet
- Omega Centauri
- a massive globular cluster in the southern constellation Centaurus located about 17,000 light-years from Earth; also known as NGC 5139
- Omega nebula
- One of the Milky Way’s numerous stellar nurseries, the Omega Nebula is about 5,000 light-years from Earth and can be seen in the constellation of Sagittarius the Archer. It is also known as the Swan Nebula, M17, NGC 6618, the Horseshoe Nebula, and the…
- On-Screen Menu Icons
- Allow you to control a variety of settings via remote control, while helping in the recognition of player functions. There are three different menu screens: disc, player and scanning information.
- On-Screen Programming (OSP)
- A display of the menu on the TV screen for purposes of programming a VCR. The menu displays time, channel, index and VCR mode.
- oncogene
- A gene that contributes to the production of a cancer. Oncogenes are generally mutated forms of normal cellular genes (proto-oncogenes). A gene capable, when activated, of transforming a cell. Oncogenes are found in the oncogenically activated state in…
- ondes martenot
- An early electronic instrument invented in the late 1920s by Maurice Martenot.
- one-gene-one-enzyme hypothesis
- Hypothesis of Beadle and Tatum that one gene controls the production of one enzyme. Later modified to the concept that one cistron controls the production of one polypeptide.
- Online
- Tha state of a computer when it is connected to the network and communicate with other machines.
- Online Banking and Bill Pay
- Online Banking is the use of a personal computer for making transactions in bank accounts while online over the internet. Bill Pay refers to the use of a touch-tone telephone for this same purpose, rather than a computer. These methods are becoming…
- Online Degrees and Home-schooling
- Online educational degrees from accredited institutions are becoming more and more accepted in the job market. More common online degrees awarded are in the specialized fields, such as paralegal training. There are also several PhD programs available online…
- Online Game
- A game where tickets are purchased through a network of computer terminals located at retail outlets. The terminals are linked to a central computer that records the wagers. Examples of online games include lotto, keno and numbers games.
- oocyte
- The gamete in females. See ovum.
- oogenesis
- The process of ovum formation in female animals.
- oogonia
- Cells in females that produce primary oocytes by mitosis.
- Oort Cloud
- a cloud of cometary nuclei that surrounds the sun at a distance of many thousands of astronomical units
- opal codon
- The codon UGA, a nonsense codon.
- OPEC
- Acronym for Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries founded in 1960 for unify and coordinate petroleum polices of the members. Headquarters is in Vienna, Austria.
- open cluster
- a system containing a few dozen to a few thousand stars that formed from the same stellar nursery
- OPEN COMPETITION STATES
- States where insurance companies can set new rates without prior approval, although the state’s commissioner can disallow them if they are not reasonable and adequate or are discriminatory.
- OPEN-DOOR POLICY
- Refers to the boss' door always being open to employees to talk about any problems, concerns, suggestions, or questions that they may have.