from
The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008)
processor time
CPU time
<software> The amount of time a {process} takes to run, given
that it has exclusive and uninterrupted use of the {CPU}.
Note that in a modern computer, this would be very unusual,
and so the processor time calculation for most processes
involves adding up all the small amounts of time the CPU
actually spends on the process.
Some systems break processor time down into {user time} and
{system time}.
Compare {wall clock time}.
(1998-03-13)