"Wait-free" refers to a type of algorithm or data structure that guarantees that every operation will complete in a finite number of steps, regardless of the actions of other concurrent operations. This means that even if multiple processes are trying to access shared resources simultaneously, each operation will finish without being delayed by others. In computer science, wait-free algorithms are important for ensuring high performance and responsiveness in systems where multiple threads or processes operate concurrently. They are often used in real-time systems and applications where consistent performance is critical, such as in multithreading and distributed computing.