scripting language
- noun
- /ˈskrɪptɪŋ ˈlæŋɡwɪdʒ/
- Specialized
- Many web developers use a scripting language to add interactivity to their websites.
Examples
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After working in a reporting environment that used JavaScript as their scripting language, I still have nightmares where power users who suddenly thought they were programmers refer to the language simply as "Java."
Blog text (7) -
Please remember that somebody has to write the kernel for your cell phone, the font renderer for your browser, and the compiler/runtime for your favorite scripting language.
Blog text (7) -
When am I going to take the time to learn a scripting language other than VBScript?
Blog text (16) -
For example, the scripting language I mentioned only allocates new memory from the OS if it really needs to.
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Back in the day, I used to be proud that my scripting language of choice didn't do what Java does for memory management.
Blog text (16) -
For this sort of work, I usually turn to a general-purpose scripting language, and most of Jetpac is already written in Ruby, so that was an easy choice.
Blog text (15) -
StatSoft Inc. has announced STATISTICA 6, a new generation of data analysis and visualization software that features a built-in Visual Basic scripting language based on an architecture similar to MS Excel.
Academic text (2001) -
In general, I'd recommend using a real scripting language like Perl with DBD::Pg or Python with psycopg to solve scripting problems with databases.
Blog text (7) -
Python is a popular scripting language that can automate tedious tasks easily.
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Most game engines include a built-in scripting language for customizing gameplay mechanics.
Synonyms
A computer language used to write small programs that do tasks for you
How Specialized
- Specialized
- Specialized
- Specialized
- Specialized
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly compositional: 'scripting' (writing command-based scripts) modifies 'language', yielding a language used for scripting. This modifier+noun pattern is straightforward and common across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will grasp the general meaning even if they miss technical details like interpreted vs compiled distinctions.
Etymology
Scripting language comes from the idea of a script, a short plan that tells actors what to do, and language, a way to give instructions. Programmers write small 'scripts' in these languages to tell a computer to do tasks automatically, so the name shows they are languages for writing simple instructions.