1. A processing juncture at which the normal operation of a program or system is momentarily suspended in order to determine its environmental status.
2. A file containing information that describes the state of the system (the environment) at a particular time.

ETYM Akin to Dutch legger layer, daybook (fr. leggen to lay, liggen to lie), Eng. ledge, lie. Related to Lie to be prostrate.
A record in which commercial accounts are recorded; SYN. leger, account book, book of account, book.