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programming language

American  
[proh-gram-ing lang-gwij] / ˈproʊ græm ɪŋ ˌlæŋ gwɪdʒ /

noun

  1. a high-level language used to write computer programs, as C++ or Python, or, sometimes, an assembly language.

programming language British  

noun

  1. a simple language system designed to facilitate the writing of computer programs See high-level language low-level language machine code

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
programming language Scientific  
/ prō′grăm′ĭng /

  1. An artificial language used to write instructions that can be translated into machine language and then executed by a computer. English and other natural languages are not used as programming languages because they cannot be easily translated into machine language.

  2. ◆ A compiled language is a language in which the set of instructions (or code) written by the programmer is converted into machine language by special software called a compiler prior to being executed. C++ and SmallTalk are examples of compiled languages.

  3. ◆ An interpreted language is a language in which the set of instructions (or code) written by the programmer is converted into machine language by special software called a compiler prior to being executed. Most scripting and macro languages are interpreted languages.

  4. See also program

programming language Cultural  

  1. In computer technology, a set of conventions in which instructions for the machine are written. There are many languages that allow humans to communicate with computers; C++, BASIC, and Java are some common ones.

Etymology

Origin of programming language

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

The selloff began after Anthropic announced that its Claude Code tool could automate the modernization of COBOL, a decades-old programming language that underpins most ATM transactions and in-person credit card swipes.

From Barron's

The negative catalyst was a blog post from Anthropic, which highlighted a new Claude Code feature that automates the modernization of common business-oriented language, a programming language used for data processing.

From MarketWatch

The company wrote a blog post detailing how its Claude Code tool can modernize COBOL—computer programming language used on IBM mainframes.

From Barron's

The programming language, which was first released in 1960, runs 95% of ATM transactions in the U.S., according to Anthropic’s blog post.

From MarketWatch

Python, a programming language, may surprise some as an example to pick, since it has been around for more than three decades.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.