print spooler

A program which stores data ready to be printed. Each set of data to be printed is known as a print job. When the print job has been received from a program and is complete, the print spooler can send this data to the printer. Several programs or terminals can send data at the same time for printing, because the data are stored in files by the printer spooler and sent to the printer when appropriate. A printer spooler is normally part of the operating system.