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Glite Dictionary
subroutine

subroutine

35 6.5
A set of program steps that does one job and can be used again
  • noun
  • /ˈsʌb.ruː.tiːn/
  • Specialized
translation icon : subrutina
  • The programmer wrote a subroutine to calculate the average score of the students.
  • a subroutine call
  • use a subroutine
  • subroutine library

Things like calling a subroutine will only work with the CPU's got a stack for that to store the return address in and things.

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Examples

  • The user application can be modified to call these ESSL subroutines instead of LAPACK subroutines.

    Academic text (1994)

  • The evaluate() subroutine (Line 7) is the evaluation process for measuring the quality of a candidate gene.

    Academic text (2016)

  • Yes, really, they should write a subroutine when you have both of these on that they talk to each other.

  • It's some kind of hidden subroutine the system follows.

    F9 (2021)

  • You know, the FFT subroutine, I can again say, you know, it's the lines of code, right?

  • So splay is a subroutine that I will describe soon.

  • We use the special subroutine IRLINE to determine line size.

    Academic text (1994)

  • All right, so when the subroutine compounds the interest it uses all these extra decimal places that just get rounded off.

    Office Space (1999)

  • An analyst studying a numerical analysis application may be interested in a particular subroutine or even particular loops.

    Academic text (1994)

  • Pathfinder is an example of what programmers call functions, subroutines, or procedures.

Synonyms

function
vssubroutine
  • Specialized
343 4.9

A rule in math or computing that gives one output for each input

is specifically a callable reusable sequence not about input output relation
procedure
vssubroutine
  • Specialized
108 4.1

A part of a computer program that does a specific task

focuses on repeated calling and modular reuse rather than any instruction set
routine
vssubroutine
  • Specialized
16 3.8

A set of computer instructions that does one task

emphasizes reuse and callable structure rather than just simple execution
subprogram
vssubroutine
  • Specialized
1 7.2

A set of steps in a program that does a single task

is a reusable sequence intended to be called multiple times within programs
proc
vssubroutine
  • Specialized
1 8.8

A piece of computer code that does one task when called

is a reusable sequence used repeatedly inside larger programs

Compounds

subroutine library
  • Specialized
5.1

A set of small programs that programmers can use to save time

How Complex

framework
29 3.5
library
  • Specialized
77 4.9
module
101 3.7
function
  • Specialized
343 4.9
subroutine
  • Specialized
35 6.5
snippet
36 4.8

Surface Forms

subroutine singular
subroutines plural

Morphology

subroutine = routine (transparent) = sub + routine

The productive prefix 'sub-' meaning 'under' or 'secondary' combines with 'routine' to indicate a subordinate or helper procedure, a meaning that learners can derive from the parts.

Etymology

Subroutine starts with sub- meaning 'under' and ends with routine meaning 'a regular set of actions'. Think of it as a small 'routine' that sits under the main program and can be used again and again, so a subroutine is a repeatable helper that does one task when the program needs it.