What is a large high-speed computer that supports numerous workstations or peripherals called?

A large high-speed computer that supports numerous workstations or peripherals is referred to as a mainframe. Mainframes are designed to handle and process massive amounts of data and transactions simultaneously, making them ideal for businesses and organizations that require robust computational capabilities. They can support numerous users and devices connected to them, managing extensive databases and transactions efficiently.

Mainframes typically provide high reliability, scalability, and security, which are essential for applications in industries like finance, healthcare, and government. This level of performance and user support distinguishes mainframes from other types of computers, which may serve different purposes or have limitations in terms of scalability and user capacity.

While supercomputers are indeed powerful and designed for complex computations, they are typically used for specific scientific and engineering applications rather than supporting numerous workstations like a mainframe. Workstations and microcomputers serve individual users and are not built to handle the high throughput that mainframes can manage.