reboot
reboot Lexical Profile
reboot Game Scores & Validity
• noun
An act or instance of shutting down and restarting a computer system or electronic device.
"The system administrator performed a quick reboot of the server after installing the security patch."
A new version of an established media franchise, film series, or television show that discards previous continuity to recreate its characters and storyline from the beginning.
"The studio's modern reboot of the classic superhero franchise attracted a whole new generation of fans."
A fresh start, overhaul, or revitalization of a stalled project, organization, or policy.
"Following the disappointing quarterly results, the marketing strategy underwent a complete reboot."
• verb
To shut down and restart a computer system or electronic device, or (of a computer or device) to undergo this process.
"If the software freezes again, save your work and reboot the computer."
To start something anew or revitalize a project, career, or media franchise by making a fresh start.
"The network decided to reboot the nineties sitcom with a younger cast and updated cultural references."
Word Nuance & Usage
In media and entertainment, a 'reboot' discards previous continuity to recreate a franchise from the beginning, whereas a 'remake' closely retells a single original work and a 'revival' continues an existing continuity after a long hiatus.
• Rhymes for reboot
Word Origin & Etymology
Coined in the early 1980s in computer science by combining the prefix 're-' with 'boot', which itself is a clipping of 'bootstrap'—derived from the idiom 'to pull oneself up by one's bootstraps', referring to how a computer loads its operating system from an initial minimal instruction set.
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.