pointer
n. countablen. a variable that holds the memory address of another piece of data. Instead of storing a value like a number directly, it points to where that value is kept in the computer's memory.
n. a variable whose value is the memory address of another variable or object. Used for dynamic memory allocation and efficient data structure manipulation.
The function uses a pointer to access the original data.
By passing a pointer to the large data structure instead of copying it, the program runs significantly faster.
In low-level languages like C, a null pointer indicates that the variable does not currently reference a valid memory location, which can lead to runtime errors if not properly checked.
From point + -er (agent noun suffix) or + -er (measurement suffix) (sense 4).
Commonly used with the verbs 'dereference' (to access the value) and 'assign' (to set the address).
dereferencing a null pointerchecking if the pointer is null before dereferencingAttempting to access the value of a pointer that does not point to a valid memory address causes the program to crash.