syntax

views updated

syntax (syntax rules) The rules defining the legal sequences of symbolic elements in a language. The syntax rules define the form of the various constructs in the language, but say nothing about the meaning of these constructs. Examples of constructs are: expressions, procedures, and programs (in the case of programming languages) and terms, well-formed formulas, and sentences (in the case of logical languages). See also parsing, BNF, extended BNF.

More From encyclopedia.com