bios

bios — noun

1. the small program built into a computer's hardware that runs first when you turn

1.名詞C1
釋義

the small program built into a computer's hardware that runs first when you turn the machine on, checks that the parts are working, and lets the keyboard, screen, and disk drive talk to the main processor before the operating system loads. Short for Basic Input/Output System.

例句

Zara pressed F2 during startup to open the BIOS settings on her laptop.

collocation: open / enter the BIOS

The technician updated the BIOS to fix a problem with the new graphics card.

collocation: update / flash the BIOS

同義詞
  • firmware

    broader term — any low-level software stored on a chip; the BIOS is one type of firmware

  • UEFI

    the modern replacement for BIOS on newer machines, with a fuller graphical menu

  • boot ROM

    more technical term, often used for the equivalent chip in phones or game consoles

文法句型

the BIOS of [device]

enter the BIOS

用法筆記

Almost always written in capitals as BIOS. Common in fixed phrases such as 'enter the BIOS', 'BIOS settings', 'BIOS update', and 'flash the BIOS'. Treated as a singular noun even though the letters stand for plural-sounding words.

常見錯誤

❌I changed the bioses on three computers.
✅I changed the BIOS on three computers.
💡BIOS is normally singular and stays the same form, even when several machines are involved.
❌The biography of my computer is out of date.
✅The BIOS of my computer is out of date.
💡BIOS is unrelated to the word 'bio' or 'biography'; it is an acronym for Basic Input/Output System.