Used in technical contexts such as computing, control systems, and signal processing to describe processing that occurs without perceptible delay.
This system processes data in real time.
In applications that require real-time processing, delays are unacceptable.
Compound of 実 (じつ, 'real') and 時間 (じかん, 'time'). A straightforward calque or native formation for the English term 'real time'.