8-letter words starting with al
- algol 58 — (language) An early version of ALGOL 60, originally known as "IAL".
- algol 60 — (language) ALGOrithmic Language 1960. A portable language for scientific computations. ALGOL 60 was small and elegant. It was block-structured, nested, recursive and free form. It was also the first language to be described in BNF. There were three lexical representations: hardware, reference, and publication. The only structured data types were arrays, but they were permitted to have lower bounds and could be dynamic. It also had conditional expressions; it introduced :=; if-then-else; very general "for" loops; switch declaration (an array of statement labels generalising Fortran's computed goto). Parameters were call-by-name and call-by-value. It had static local "own" variables. It lacked user-defined types, character manipulation and standard I/O. See also EULER, ALGOL 58, ALGOL 68, Foogol.
- algol 68 — (language) An extensive revision of ALGOL 60 by Adriaan van Wijngaarden et al. ALGOL 68 was discussed from 1963 by Working Group 2.1 of IFIP. Its definition was accepted in December 1968. ALGOL 68 was the first, and still one of very few, programming languages for which a complete formal specification was created before its implementation. However, this specification was hard to understand due to its formality, the fact that it used an unfamiliar metasyntax notation (not BNF) and its unconventional terminology. One of the singular features of ALGOL 68 was its orthogonal design, making for freedom from arbitrary rules (such as restrictions in other languages that arrays could only be used as parameters but not as results). It also allowed user defined data types, then an unheard-of feature. It featured structural equivalence; automatic type conversion ("coercion") including dereferencing; flexible arrays; generalised loops (for-from-by-to-while-do-od), if-then-else-elif-fi, an integer case statement with an 'out' clause (case-in-out-esac); skip and goto statements; blocks; procedures; user-defined operators; procedure parameters; concurrent execution (par-begin-end); semaphores; generators "heap" and "loc" for dynamic allocation. It had no abstract data types or separate compilation.
- algology — the branch of biology concerned with the study of algae
- algonkin — Algonquin
- algorism — the Arabic or decimal system of counting
- algraphy — (formerly) an offset process employing an aluminum plate instead of a stone.
- alguacil — a Spanish law officer similar to a sheriff or chief constable
- alguazil — An officer of the law in Spain or Latin America. (from 16th c.).
- alhambra — a citadel and palace in Granada, Spain, built for the Moorish kings during the 13th and 14th centuries: noted for its rich ornamentation
- ali baba — (in The Arabian Nights' Entertainments) a poor woodcutter who discovers that the magic words "open sesame" will open the doors of the cave containing the treasure of the Forty Thieves
- aliakmon — a river in N Greece. 200 miles (322 km) long: longest river in Greece.
- aliasing — the error in a vision or sound signal arising from limitations in the system that generates or processes the signal
- alicante — a port in SE Spain: commercial centre. Pop: 305 911 (2003 est)
- alidades — Plural form of alidade.
- alienage — the legal status of an alien
- alienate — If you alienate someone, you make them become unfriendly or unsympathetic towards you.
- alienees — Plural form of alienee.
- alienism — the study and treatment of mental illness
- alienist — a psychiatrist who specializes in the legal aspects of mental illness
- alienors — Plural form of alienor.
- alighted — Simple past tense and past participle of alight.
- aligning — to arrange in a straight line; adjust according to a line.
- aliments — that which nourishes; nutriment; food.
- alinasal — (anatomy) Pertaining to expansions of the nasal bone or cartilage.
- alinotum — the plate to which the wings are attached on the notum of an insect.
- aliquant — of, signifying, or relating to a quantity or number that is not an exact divisor of a given quantity or number
- aliquote — Misspelling of aliquot.
- aliquots — Plural form of aliquot.
- alistair — a masculine name
- alitrunk — (zoology) The segment of an insect's body to which the wings are attached; the thorax or mesosoma.
- alive to — fully aware of; perceiving
- alizarin — a brownish-yellow powder or orange-red crystalline solid used as a dye and in the manufacture of other dyes. Formula: C6H4(CO)2C6H2(OH)2
- alkahest — the hypothetical universal solvent sought by alchemists
- alkalies — Plural form of alkali.
- alkalify — to make or become alkaline
- alkaline — Something that is alkaline contains an alkali or has a pH value of more than 7.
- alkalize — to make alkaline
- alkaloid — any of a group of nitrogenous basic compounds found in plants, typically insoluble in water and physiologically active. Common examples are morphine, strychnine, quinine, nicotine, and caffeine
- alkanets — Plural form of alkanet.
- alkannin — a dark red, amorphous, water-insoluble powder, C 16 H 16 O 5 , obtained from the root of the alkanet: used chiefly for coloring fats, oils, and pharmaceuticals.
- alkapton — homogentisic acid.
- alkermes — a Mediterranean liqueur made from brandy flavored with nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and other spices, and colored red with kermes or cochineal.
- alkestis — Alcestis (def 1).
- alkoxide — a compound formed by the removal of a proton from an alcohol
- alkylate — to bring (an alkyl group) into a compound
- alkylene — (obsolete, organic chemistry) An alkene.
- all ears — If someone says that they are all ears, they mean that they are ready and eager to listen.
- all eyes — acutely vigilant or observant
- all gone — finished, used up