Dereference

C2 16+

Pronunciation: /diːˈrɛfrəns/

Definitions of dereference

noun a computer programming term that refers to accessing the value stored at a memory address

Example Sentences

A1 Dereference is the process of accessing the value stored at a specific memory address.

A2 In programming, dereference is used to retrieve the value of a pointer variable.

B1 Developers must be careful when dereferencing pointers to avoid memory leaks.

B2 One common mistake in programming is dereferencing a null pointer, which can lead to a segmentation fault.

C1 Understanding how dereference works is crucial for efficient memory management in complex software systems.

C2 Experienced programmers know how to optimize code by minimizing the number of dereferences in their algorithms.

verb to obtain the value stored at a specific memory address in computer programming

Example Sentences

A1 I dereference the pointer to access the value stored in memory.

A2 The programmer must dereference the variable before using it in the code.

B1 In order to retrieve the data, you need to dereference the object pointer.

B2 The software engineer carefully dereferenced the pointer to avoid memory leaks.

C1 Dereferencing complex data structures requires a deep understanding of memory management.

C2 Advanced programmers often optimize their code by efficiently dereferencing pointers.

Examples of dereference in a Sentence

formal In computer programming, dereference is the process of accessing the value referred to by a pointer.

informal When you dereference a pointer, you're basically getting the actual value it points to.

slang Dereferencing a pointer is like getting to the juicy stuff inside.

figurative Dereferencing can be compared to opening a present to reveal what's inside.

Grammatical Forms of dereference

past tense

dereferenced

plural

dereferences

comparative

more dereferenced

superlative

most dereferenced

present tense

dereferences

future tense

will dereference

perfect tense

has dereferenced

continuous tense

is dereferencing

singular

dereference

positive degree

dereference

infinitive

to dereference

gerund

dereferencing

participle

dereferencing

Origin and Evolution of dereference

First Known Use: 1965 year
Language of Origin: English
Story behind the word: The word 'dereference' originated in computer science and programming to refer to the process of accessing the value referred to by a pointer or reference.
Evolution of the word: Initially used in the context of programming languages and memory management, 'dereference' has since become a common term in computer science to describe the act of accessing data through a reference or pointer.