Word
placeholder
Phoneticsplace·hold·er
UK/plˈeɪshəʊldɐ/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a temporary name, number, or image used to show where something else will go later. You use it when you are not sure of the final details yet.
n. a temporary value or object used to represent a missing or unknown element in a design or data structure. Often used in software development, graphic design, or publishing to maintain layout integrity during the drafting phase.
Examples
“I used the word 'NAME' as a placeholder for the customer's actual name.”
“The designer added a gray square as a placeholder for the final logo until the client provided the high-resolution file.”
“In the initial stages of the database schema, the developers used a generic identifier as a placeholder to ensure the table structure remained consistent before integrating the actual user data.”
Examples
simple
“I used the word 'NAME' as a placeholder for the customer's actual name.”
contextual
“The designer added a gray square as a placeholder for the final logo until the client provided the high-resolution file.”
complex
“In the initial stages of the database schema, the developers used a generic identifier as a placeholder to ensure the table structure remained consistent before integrating the actual user data.”
Real-World Examples
“Nowhere is that clearer than in the title track, where the word Graceland had initially been written down as a placeholder.” “Ashtor said that, if she introduces the term, she tries to use it as a placeholder, a first step in figuring out what was at play in a relationship.” Etymology
From place + holder.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
ADVERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
- アルファベット
- 読み方の一覧 →
QR code
englishreference.com/q/placeholder