📦 To open packaging 💻 To convert type

to unbox

7.1

Change a wrapped number or value into the simple form the program can use

verb
/ʌnˈbɑks/

Specialized

: desempaquetar

In Java, the compiler will unbox an Integer automatically when performing arithmetic with ints.

Examples

She unboxed the Long object to a long before passing it to the math function.
Modern languages often avoid errors by unboxing wrapper values safely during assignment.
You can unbox the Integer type easily.
I need to unbox this value before using it.
In Java, the compiler will unbox an Integer automatically when performing arithmetic with ints.
She unboxed the Long object to a long before passing it to the math function.
Modern languages often avoid errors by unboxing wrapper values safely during assignment.

Synonyms

to unwrap

vsto unbox

Specialized

1 6.8

To get the value inside a container like Option or Result, causing an error if none exists

is an automatic conversion to primitive values rather than explicit extraction with errors

Antonyms

to box

42 1.0

To put things into a container for storage or transport

Surface Forms

unbox infinitive

unboxed past

unboxed past participle

unboxing present participle

unboxes third person singular

Morphology

unbox = box (transparent) = un + box

In computing 'unbox' is formed by productive prefixation un- applied to the technical verb 'box' (to wrap), yielding the clear opposite operation of retrieving the underlying value.

Etymology

Unbox in computing uses the same parts, un- ('remove') and box ('container'), so it means to take a value out of its 'box' and change a wrapped object into the simple value the program can use.