Compiler
/kəmˈpaɪlər/noun
A program that translates source code written in one programming language into machine code or another form of code.
Did you know?The Latin verb compilare originally meant “to plunder” or “rob,” before developing the scholarly sense “to collect material” and eventually becoming a computing term.
Etymological Timeline
Classical Latin
Latin
compilāre
“To plunder, rob, or gather by taking from various sources”
Late Latin
Latin
compilātiō
“A collection assembled from material taken from elsewhere”
16th Century
French
compiler
“To compile or collect material, especially in writing”
16th Century
English
compile
“To collect or assemble information”
19th Century
English
compiler
“A person who compiles texts or information”
20th Century
English
compiler
“A program that translates source code into another code form”
Explore more surprising origins