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Glite Dictionary
👂 A person who listens 💻 A waiting program
listener

listener

4 6.3
A program part that waits for events like new connections and responds
  • noun
  • /ˈlɪsənər/
  • Specialized
translation icon : manejador de eventos
  • The server has a listener that processes incoming network requests from users.
  • speaker and listener

Examples

  • So that done button has a listener attached to it and when it's clicked, it just calls an update function on the assistant.

  • With the assistance of new technology, the listener may control the musical aspects of the prerecorded performance and manipulate the composition much like an arranger.

    Academic text (1996)

  • We will first of all say we're going to make a listener and let's see TCP listener, I think.

  • No worrying about where to add a listener; no hunting around to find isolated listeners.

    Blog text (1)

  • Automatic unregistration of listeners when the program shuts down.

    Blog text (1)

  • Because of the precedence effect, the first sound (from the left speaker) wins the competition, and the listener perceives the sound as coming from the left.

    Academic text (1999)

  • A listener was implemented to react to user actions in the mobile application.

  • When the button is clicked, the listener will execute the code to load the next page.

Synonyms

consumer
vslistener
  • Specialized
37 3.8

A program or process that receives and handles messages from another part

waits for events or connections and then actively handles them
observer
vslistener
  • Specialized
32 5.8

A part of a program that watches another part and updates when it changes

waits for events or connections and actively handles them
watcher
vslistener
  • Specialized
7 6.4

A program that watches files or events and starts actions when they change

waits for events or connections and responds to them
portwatcher
vslistener
  • Specialized
9.2

A program or device that watches computer network ports for unusual activity

waits for events or connections across many interfaces and responds

Compounds

long-time listener
3 3.0

A person who has often listened to a radio or TV show for years

How Active

port watcher
  • Specialized
6.3
listener
  • Specialized
4 6.3
socketing
  • Specialized
7.6
alarm system
36 2.5
firewall
  • Specialized
62 3.9

Surface Forms

listener singular
listeners plural

Morphology

listener = listen (transparent) = listen + er

Agentive formation from 'listen' with '-er'; the computing sense is a straightforward extension meaning 'an entity that listens (waits for events)'.

Etymology

Listener is used in computing from the same parts: listen plus -er, so it means 'one who waits and responds'. That's why a software listener waits for events or connections and then reacts.