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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
macro \macro\ a. very large in scale or scope or capability; as, macroeconomics. [WordNet 1.5]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Macro- \Mac"ro-\pref. [Gr. makro's, adjective] A combining form signifying long, large, great; as macrodiagonal, macrospore, macromolecule, macrocosm.
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
macro \macro\ n. [shortened form of macroinstruction]
1. a single computer instruction which symbolizes, and is converted at the time of program execution or by a compiler into, a series of instructions in the same computer language. [WordNet 1.5]
2. A keystroke (or combination of keystrokes) which symbolizes and is replaced by a series of keystrokes; -- a convenient feature of some advanced programs, such as word processors or database programs, which allows a user to rapidly execute any series of operations which may be performed multiple times. Such macros may typically be defined by the program user, without rewriting or recompiling the program. [PJC]
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
macro
adjective: very large in scale or scope or capability; "'macro' in the word 'macroscopic' is a combining form"
noun: a single computer instruction that results in a series of instructions in machine language [syn: {macro instruction}]
From Jargon File (4.3.1, 29 Jun 2001) [jargon]:
macro- pref. Large. Opposite of {micro-}. In the mainstream and among other technical cultures (for example, medical people) this competes with the prefix {mega-}, but hackers tend to restrict the latter to quantification.
From Jargon File (4.3.1, 29 Jun 2001) [jargon]:
macro /mak'roh/ n. [techspeak] A name (possibly followed by a formal {arg} list) that is equated to a text or symbolic expression to which it is to be expanded (possibly with the substitution of actual arguments) by a macro expander. This definition can be found in any technical dictionary; what those won't tell you is how the hackish connotations of the term have changed over time.
The term 'macro' originated in early assemblers, which encouraged the use of macros as a structuring and information-hiding device. During the early 1970s, macro assemblers became ubiquitous, and sometimes quite as powerful and expensive as {HLL}s, only to fall from favor as improving compiler technology marginalized assembler programming (see {languages of choice}). Nowadays the term is most often used in connection with the C preprocessor, LISP, or one of several special-purpose languages built around a macro-expansion facility (such as TeX or Unix's [nt]roff suite).
Indeed, the meaning has drifted enough that the collective 'macros' is now sometimes used for code in any special-purpose application control language (whether or not the language is actually translated by text expansion), and for macro-like entities such as the 'keyboard macros' supported in some text editors (and PC TSR or Macintosh INIT/CDEV keyboard enhancers).
From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (27 SEP 03) [foldoc]:
MACRO
1. Assembly language for {VAX/VMS}. 2. {PL/I}-like language with extensions for string processing. "MACRO: A Programming Language", S.R. Greenwood, SIGPLAN Notices 14(9):80-91 (Sep 1979). [{Jargon File}]
From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (27 SEP 03) [foldoc]:
macro- Prefix large. Opposite of {micro-}. In the mainstream and among other technical cultures (for example, medical people) this competes with the prefix {mega-}, but hackers tend to restrict the latter to quantification. [{Jargon File}]
From The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (27 SEP 03) [foldoc]:
macro A name (possibly followed by a {formal argument} list) that is equated to a text or symbolic expression to which it is to be expanded (possibly with the substitution of {actual arguments}) by a macro expander. The term "macro" originated in early {assembler}s, which encouraged the use of macros as a structuring and information-hiding device. During the early 1970s, macro assemblers became ubiquitous, and sometimes quite as powerful and expensive as {HLL}s, only to fall from favour as improving {compiler} technology marginalised {assembly language} programming (see {languages of choice}). Nowadays the term is most often used in connection with the {C preprocessor}, {Lisp}, or one of several special-purpose languages built around a macro-expansion facility (such as {TeX} or {Unix}'s {troff} suite). Indeed, the meaning has drifted enough that the collective "macros" is now sometimes used for code in any special-purpose application control language (whether or not the language is actually translated by text expansion), and for macro-like entities such as the "keyboard macros" supported in some text editors (and {PC} {TSR}s or {Macintosh} INIT/CDEV keyboard enhancers). (1994-12-06)
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Definitions retrieved from local copies of the freely distributed DICT client/server software and databases. Click here for database copyright information. - KM |