distributed
UK: dɪˈstrɪbjuːtɪd | US: dɪˈstrɪbjʊtɪd
adj. 1. Spread or scattered over a wide area or among many people.
adj. 2. (Computing) Operating across multiple interconnected systems or locations.
vt. 3. Past tense of "distribute": to give out or deliver something to multiple recipients.
The word "distributed" originates from Latin distribuere ("to divide up, assign separately"), combining dis- (apart) and tribuere (to assign, grant). The root tribuere itself derives from tribus (tribe), reflecting ancient Roman practices of allocating resources among tribes. Over time, the term evolved to emphasize division or scattering, later adopted into Middle English via Old French. The computing sense emerged in the 20th century, metaphorically extending the concept of spatial dispersion to data or processing tasks.
The seeds were distributed evenly across the field.
The company distributed profits to its shareholders.
Distributed systems improve fault tolerance in networks.
She distributed pamphlets at the event.
The film was distributed globally by a major studio.