Event

The word event can have several meanings:

In science, an event is something that takes place at a particular place and time. Specifically, event may refer to:

Phenomenon, something observable at a given time
A point in spacetime, a concept of the theory of relativity
Event (particle physics), a set of elementary particle interactions
Event (probability theory), a possible outcome of an experiment
Extinction event, when a large number of biological species die out in a relatively short period of time

Programming - In event-driven programming, an event is a software message that indicates something has happened, such as a keystroke or mouse click
Process Control - In process control, an event is an occurrence that has happened and has been registered
Calendaring and Scheduling - In the iCalendar standard for representing and exchanging calendar data, an event represents a scheduled amount of time on a calendar.

In common usage, an event (as opposed to a special event) has a connotation of an occurrence which is more common than a phenomenon (due perhaps to the difference between a two syllable word and a four syllable word). Thus, in common usage, a keystroke is an event, where the Big Bang might be connoted a phenomenon (a special event which denotes the beginning of the universe). For example, portal:current events denotes "events" rather than "phenomena".

See also