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subroutine

American  
[suhb-roo-teen] / ˈsʌb ruˌtin /

noun

Computers.

  1. an instruction sequence in a machine or assembly language program that can be prewritten and referred to as often as needed.

subroutine British  
/ ˈsʌbruːˌtiːn /

noun

  1. Also called: procedure.  a section of a computer program that is stored only once but can be used when required at several different points in the program, thus saving space

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of subroutine

First recorded in 1945–50; sub- + routine

Vocabulary lists containing subroutine

Electrical Engineering

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Engineering - High School

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Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

And yes, I now fear that some distant corporate subroutine will begin inundating me with ads for dating sites.

From New York Times • Apr. 26, 2023

For example, the quality of the quantum subroutine in hybrid algorithms for chemistry can vary greatly depending on the system that is being simulated and the mathematical tricks used.

From Nature • Sep. 12, 2017

An emerging subculture or subroutine was the "might be Japanese" category, with names like Onida and Okaya leaving just enough room for doubt.

From BBC • Feb. 15, 2016

He instructed follow, and a subroutine activated his leg actuators.

From Nature • Oct. 26, 2011

If your program is a subroutine library, you may consider it more useful to permit linking proprietary applications with the library.

From Debian GNU/Linux : Guide to Installation and Usage by Goerzen, John

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.