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Meaning of COMPILER

Pronunciation:  kum'pIlur

WordNet Dictionary
 
 Definition: 
  1. [n]  (computer science) a program that decodes instructions written in a higher order language and produces an assembly language program
  2. [n]  a person who compiles (or writes for) encyclopedias
 
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 Synonyms: compiling program, encyclopedist
 
 See Also: author, C compiler, computer program, computer programme, Fortran compiler, LISP compiler, parser, Pascal compiler, program, programme, writer

 

 

Webster's 1913 Dictionary
 
 Definition: 
\Com*pil"er\, n. [OE. compiluor; cf. OF. compileor, fr.
L. compilator.]
One who compiles; esp., one who makes books by compilation.
 
Computing Dictionary
 
 Definition: 

A program that converts another program from some source language (or programming language) to machine language (object code). Some compilers output assembly language which is then converted to machine language by a separate assembler.

A compiler is distinguished from an assembler by the fact that each input statement does not, in general, correspond to a single machine instruction or fixed sequence of instructions. A compiler may support such features as automatic allocation of variables, arbitrary arithmetic expressions, control structures such as FOR and WHILE loops, variable scope, input/ouput operations, higher-order functions and portability of source code.

AUTOCODER, written in 1952, was possibly the first primitive compiler. Laning and Zierler's compiler, written in 1953-1954, was possibly the first true working algebraic compiler.

See also byte-code compiler, native compiler, optimising compiler.

 

 

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