"A form of computing in which many computations are being processed concurrently. One of the unique features of neural computing is that it provides an inherently clean and simple mechanism for dividing the computational task into subunits. This inherent parallelism makes it an ideal candidate for highly parallel architectures." (Guido Deboeck & Teuvo Kohonen (Eds), "Visual Explorations in Finance with Self-Organizing Maps 2nd Ed.", 2000)
"Execution of more than one thing at the same time, typically using multiple CPUs (but not always). Additionally, parallel processing used in hand with partitioning can result in some very effective performance improvements." (Gavin Powell, "Beginning Database Design", 2006)
"A method of processing that can run only on a computer that contains two or more processors running simultaneously. Parallel processing differs from multiprocessing in the way a task is distributed over the available processors. In multiprocessing, a process might be divided up into sequential blocks, with one processor managing access to a database, another analyzing the data, and a third handling graphical output to the screen. Programmers working with systems that perform parallel processing must find ways to divide a task so that it is more or less evenly distributed among the processors available." (Microsoft, "SQL Server 2012 Glossary", 2012)
"Parallel computing, also known as parallel programming, is a process where large compute problems are broken down into smaller problems that can be solved simultaneously by multiple processors." (IBM) [source]
"Parallel processing is a method of simultaneously breaking up and running program tasks on multiple microprocessors in order speed up performance time. Parallel processing may be accomplished with a single computer that has two or more processors (CPUs) or with multiple computer processors connected over a computer network. Parallel processing may also be referred to as parallel computing." (Techopedia) [source]
"Parallel computing is a type of computer structure in which multiple processes are executed at the same time. It is the opposite of serial computing, in which one task is broken down into a set of instructions that are processed individually in sequential order. Parallel computing is closely related to concurrent computing, but they are distinct concepts; with the former, all of the computational tasks are interrelated, while the latter deals with processes that are unrelated or significantly varied in nature." (Webopedia) [source]