memory leak
n. countablen. a computer problem where a program uses more and more of the computer's memory without letting it go. Over time, this makes the computer run very slowly or crash because there is no memory left for other things.
n. an undesirable condition where a software program fails to release allocated memory that is no longer needed. This gradual depletion of available system resources typically lead to performance degradation or application failure over time.
The app is moving slowly because it has a memory leak.
After running the server for forty-eight hours, the developers noticed a significant memory leak that consumed all available RAM.
Advanced debugging tools are necessary to identify which specific object reference is causing the memory leak within the application's complex heap structure.
Commonly used in technical contexts regarding software engineering and system administration.