call by name


call by name

[′kȯl bī ′nām] (computer science) A method of transferring arguments from a calling program to a subprogram in which the actual expression is passed to the subprogram.

call by name

In programming, a call to a subroutine (function) that passes names of the parameters used in the subroutine. The names must be evaluated and substituted into meaningful data at runtime. See call by reference and call by value.