third generation language

<language> (3GL, "high level language") A language designed to be easier for a human to understand, including things like named variables. A fragment might be

	let c = c + 2 * d

Fortran, ALGOL and COBOL are early examples of this sort of language. Most "modern" languages (BASIC, C, C++) are third generation. Most 3GLs support structured programming.

See also second generation language, fourth generation language.

(30 May 1996)