Virtualizes

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To convert a tangible object or system into a digital format that mimics its operations or attributes To render an item or process as if it exists within a digital framework while maintaining its original properties To represent a real-world entity or function in a computer-generated environment, allowing for interaction as though it were physical
2. To transform an existing system or object into a digital model that behaves like the original while functioning within an electronic framework
3. To produce a computerized version of a physical object or system so that it operates like the original within a digital context

Etymology: "Virtualizes" is the third-person singular form of "virtualize," which means to make digital copies or simulated versions of hardware, software or other resources. The verb is built from "virtual" plus the suffix "-ize," and that suffix has a longer journey than it first appears. It traces back to ancient Greek, where verbs ending in "-izein" were common, passed through Late Latin "-izare," then Middle French "-iser," and entered Middle English as "-isen" before settling into the modern "-ize" spelling. "Virtual" comes from Late Latin "virtualis," meaning having force or power, and from "virtus," a word that once meant manliness, excellence or power. Over centuries "virtual" came to mean something that exists in effect or essence without being physical, which is the sense that allows a computer to create a virtual machine. Adding "-ize" turns that abstract quality into an action: to make something virtual.