Term: latency

Latency, at its simplest, is the time between a request is made and a response is received.

It can also refer to the time it takes to get a message or action from one place to another. For example, a slow internet connection might involve abnormally high latency between some of the various pieces of equipment involved in getting the information from your computer to the remote server or back.

In its most generic form, latency can also refer to the time it takes to do something, but its use is generally restricted to communications and computer operations.