(Yes, Claude AI wrote this and I edited it.)
A DNS root server is one of the DNS nameservers that hosts the DNS root zone, which is the top-level DNS zone in the hierarchical Domain name system (DNS).
There are 13 logical DNS root servers, each operated by a different organization and distributed worldwide to ensure redundancy and reliability. These servers are responsible for responding to queries about the authoritative DNS servers for all top-level domains (TLDs) and providing referrals to the appropriate TLD nameservers.
Root servers are authorized by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA), which is a part of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).