pragma
noun/ˈpɹæɡmə/
Etymology From Ancient Greek πρᾶγμα (prâgma, “a thing done, a fact”). In the technical senses perhaps a back-formation from pragmatic or a clipping of pragmat used earlier in ALGOL.
1
Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Programming, Sciences A compiler directive; data embedded in source code by programmers to indicate some intention to a compiler.
- This pragma stops the compiler from generating those warnings we don't care about.
- […]users may also want to disable functionality such as function inlining via either a compiler command line option or compiler pragma, depending on the build tools system and functionality supported.2012, Robert Oshana, DSP for Embedded and Real-Time Systems, Elsevier, →ISBN, page 218:
2
Internet In early versions of HTTP, a general header that specifies some implementation-specific directive, to any recipient, and may specify that the HTTP response should not be cached.
- It is not possible to specify a pragma for a specific recipient; however, any pragma directive not relevant to a recipient should be ignored by that recipient.1996 May 23, T. Berners-Lee, R. Fielding, H. Frystyk, “Hypertext Transfer Protocol — HTTP/1.0”, in RFC Editor, →ISSN, RFC 1945:
3
Uncommon A practical thing or action, as opposed to theory or belief (dogma).
- At any given minute, we must choose between habitual action and thoughtful action, between Dogma and Pragma.1939, Jacques Barzun, Of Human Freedom, Boston: Little, Brown and Company, page 129:
- "If it is practical, a pragma, it is a thing and not a theory."1961 April 23, R. A. Lafferty, “All the People”, in Galaxy Science Fiction:
1 more example
- Other speakers railed against “neo-liberal dogma”; but a dogma is a belief that you hold regardless of evidence. No one comes to economic liberalism through dogma. In theory, a planned economy might work better than one left to arrange itself; in practice, it never does. Classical liberalism, far from being a dogma, is a pragma.2023 May 20, Daniel Hannan, “The Conservative coalition is falling apart. Too many Tories have given up on freedom”, in The Telegraph, →ISSN: