Synchronises

Synchronises is the third-person singular present tense of synchronize, a verb meaning to cause two or more processes, devices, or events to occur at the same time or at the same rate, or to align their phases. In a broader sense, synchronization involves coordinating timing across independent systems so that their states change coherently rather than chaotically. The concept appears across science and technology, as well as in daily activities that require orderly timing.

Etymology: from Greek synchronos meaning "occurring at the same time," via French synchroniser and English synchronize.

Applications and domains: Timekeeping and signal processing: aligning clocks and frequency references, maintaining a common time base for distributed systems. Electronics often use phase-locked loops to keep local oscillators in step with a reference. In telecommunications and networking, precise synchronization enables accurate sequencing and data integrity, for example sampled data streams or time-stamped packets. Media and performance: audio and video playback require lip synchronization to avoid noticeable delays between sound and image.

Computing and data: networks and servers synchronize clocks using protocols such as NTP (Network Time Protocol) and PTP (Precision Time Protocol); data and file synchronization tools coordinate changes across devices and platforms; databases use replication and time-based coordination to maintain consistency.

Biology and neuroscience: circadian rhythms synchronize to environmental cues; neuronal activity can exhibit synchrony during tasks or brain rhythms.

See also: synchronization, clock synchronization, phase synchronization, lip-sync, phase-locked loop.