pseudocode
nounEtymology From pseudo- + code.
1
Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Programming, Sciences A description of a computer programming algorithm that uses the structural conventions of programming languages but omits detailed subroutines or language-specific syntax.
- In general the vocabulary used in the pseudocode should be the vocabulary of the problem domain, not of the implementation domain. The pseudocode is a narrative for someone who knows the requirements (problem domain) and is trying to learn how the solution is organized.2003 December 2, John Dalbey, “PSEUDOCODE STANDARD”, in Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, archived from the original on 08 Feb 2026:
- Think of pseudocode as a step-by-step verbal outline of your code that you can later transcribe into a programming language.2026 May 21 (last accessed), Nels Frazier, “How to Write Pseudocode”, in University of Wyoming, archived from the original on 21 May 2026, page 1:
2
Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Programming, Sciences Any format or language that resembles a programming language but is not.
- Derived terms
- pseudocoded