Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
boolean

boolean

1 4.1
A value that can be true or false
  • noun
  • /ˈbuːliən/
  • Specialized
translation icon : booleano
  • The Book model has name, author, and public (boolean) attributes.
  • Boolean algebra
  • Boolean logic
  • Boolean operations

Examples

  • Admin is a boolean attribute used to indicate whether the user has administrative rights.

    Blog text (34)

  • So the process has a boolean that says whether or not it's marked.

  • A return Boolean value indicates whether the conversion succeeded or failed.

    Blog text (33)

  • Search includes boolean, keyword, and exact match options.

    Blog text (27)

  • Simply put, Boolean logic is the algebraic interpretation of truth tables.

    Academic text (2008)

  • Software functions include Boolean logic, math functions, user-defined variables, nested subroutines, conditional branching, and hold and transfer execution statements.

    Academic text (1993)

  • In programming, a boolean can be either true or false, representing a binary condition.

  • Understanding how to use a boolean can simplify decision-making in coding tasks.

  • Many programming languages use the boolean data type to control system flow based on true or false statements.

Synonyms

bool
vsboolean
  • Specialized
1 7.2

A value that can be only true or false

has identical meaning but is the full, spelled-out formal name

Antonyms

multi-valued
6.8

Able to have more than one value or meaning

Compounds

Boolean algebra
  • Specialized
6.1

A part of math where values are only true or false and are used in logic and computers

Boolean logic
  • Specialized
5.7

A set of simple rules that uses true and false to make decisions

Boolean operation
  • Specialized
5.7

A rule that uses true and false inputs to give a true or false result like AND, OR, NOT

Surface Forms

boolean singular
booleans plural

Morphology

boolean = Boole (opaque) = Boole + an

The word is historically an eponym built from the surname Boole plus -an, but the computing meaning is not predictable from the name for most learners.

Etymology

Boolean is named after the mathematician George Boole, who worked on simple rules of logic where things are only 'true' or 'false'. So in computing a boolean is a basic type that can hold only 'true' or 'false', like the answer to a yes/no question.