#computer science

• Assembled — Having been mounted, combined, or structurally joined from multiple separate parts, components, or subassemblies to form a functional whole, a complex mechanism, or a unitary piece of equipment. In computer science and programming, the term describes source code written in a low-level language (assembly) that has been translated, processed, and converted by a specialized program into instructions directly executable by the processor (machine code).
• Assembler — A specialized worker or technician responsible for mounting, fitting, and fixing the components of an apparatus, vehicle, or mechanical system. In computer science, the term designates a software utility or system program (usually called an assembler) that takes code written in assembly language and automatically translates it into binary machine-code instructions understood by the central processing unit.
• Assert — A logical assertion assumed to be true at a specific point in an algorithm or reasoning; a software macro or function used in programming to verify if a mandatory structural condition is met during code execution. If the verification fails, the program halts to signal a logic error.
• Assign — To allocate, assign, earmark, or distribute a task, a sum of money, a role, or a value to a specific entity or person. In legal and financial contexts, it means to issue a payment order or delegate a debt; in computer programming, it describes the structural operation of storing a specific value inside a declared variable.
• Asynchronous — Not synchronal, lacking synchronism; a process, phenomenon, or technical system whose component operations do not unfold simultaneously or in strict temporal accordance with a central clock or another system. In computer science and programming, it describes the structural execution of tasks or functions in the background, allowing the main code to continue running without being blocked while waiting for a response from a database or an external server.
• Asynchronism — The state, quality, or character of being asynchronous; a lack of temporal concordance or structural simultaneity between two or more periodic phenomena, actions, movements, or processes. In electrical engineering, it represents the structural difference between the rotation speed of the inducing magnetic field and that of an electric motor's rotor.
• Associative — Having the property of allowing terms or factors to be grouped together without altering the final result of a mathematical operation; in a general or psychological sense, it refers to processes, structures, or networks based on the free correlation and spontaneous combination of ideas, concepts, images, or people within an open system.
• Assembler — A computer utility program that translates instructions written in an assembly language (a low-level programming language using mnemonics) into binary machine code, directly executable by the central processing unit (CPU). In everyday IT jargon, the term is often used metonymically to denote the Assembly language itself, used for software optimization, operating system development, and microcontroller programming.
• Asterisk — A typographic star-shaped symbol (), used in printed matters, edited texts, or manuscripts to direct the reader to a footnote, a marginal explanation, or a supplement at the bottom of the page or end of the volume; it is also utilized in computer science as a multiplication operator or a global wildcard symbol.
• Attachment — A strong, durable, and deep affective bond established between two individuals (such as between a child and a parent) or profound devotion to a cause, idea, or group. In computer science, it denotes an electronic file annexed to an e-mail message, whereas in engineering, it represents an auxiliary device or accessory part mounted on a machine to perform a specific operation.
• Attachment process — The act of attaching and its result; the fixing, mounting, joining, or coupling of an element to a main body or system. In computer science, it represents the operation of annexing a digital file to an email; in mechanics, it describes the installation of an industrial accessory; psychologically, it defines the dynamic process of forming an intimate, lasting affective bond toward a person or idea.
• Atax — A specialized term used in various technical and medical fields. In biochemistry and medicine, it is encountered as a truncated variant, prefix, or non-standard acronym referring to taxine or phenomena related to ataxia (lack of coordination of muscle movements). In information technology, it can designate a specific command, software utility, or process identifier within certain operating systems.
• Atomic — Pertaining to atoms, belonging to atoms, or utilizing the energy released by the fission or fusion of atomic nuclei. In a military and geopolitical context, the term describes weapons of mass destruction based on nuclear reactions, whereas in computer science and databases, it defines an indivisible operation that executes completely or not at all, guaranteeing system integrity.
• Atomicity — The number of atoms making up a molecule of a chemical element, or the property of a substance being composed of a specific number of atoms. In computer science and concurrent programming, the term defines the property of an operation or code block to execute instantaneously and indivisibly relative to other threads, eliminating race conditions.
• Attribute — An essential quality, defining characteristic, or intrinsic trait of an object, being, or phenomenon, without which it cannot exist or be conceived. In grammar, it represents the secondary part of a sentence that modifies a noun; in computer science, it describes a structural property or a specific value associated with a database element or a tag.
• Augment — A morphological element (vowel or syllable) prefixed to a verb stem in ancient Indo-European languages like Ancient Greek or Sanskrit to indicate past tense. In computer science, it describes an element added to enhance or expand a dataset.
• To auto-calculate — To perform a calculation automatically and independently, without direct human user intervention, by means of a predefined algorithm or software script. In modern data management systems or spreadsheets, it describes a variable's capacity to update its value instantly.
• To self-copy — To autonomously, automatically, or through internal mechanisms create a faithful copy or an exact replica of one's own structure, a document, or a dataset, without the direct intervention of an external factor. In biology, the term describes the molecular process of self-replication of genetic material, whereas in technology and computer science it refers to software systems or mechanical devices capable of cloning or multiplying their informational structure.
• To auto-correct — To autonomously or automatically rectify or remedy one's own mistakes, spelling, language, or behavioral errors, without the direct intervention of an external correcting factor. In computer science, it describes the action of an algorithm or software to instantly modify a misspelled word, whereas in psychology and education it refers to an individual's conscious ability to revise their cognitive or behavioral errors.
• To self-trigger — To go into operation, start, or activate automatically or autonomously on its own, as a result of meeting a predefined condition, an internal impulse, or a sensor detecting an external stimulus, without the manual intervention of an operator. In engineering, it describes the structural behavior of safety systems, alarms, or shutter mechanisms.