underflow meaning: definition, etymology and quotations

underflow

noun

Etymology From under- + flow, modelled on overflow.

A current flowing below the surface.

Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences A condition in which the value of a computed quantity is smaller than the smallest non-zero value that can be physically stored; usually treated as an error condition.

Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences The error condition that results from an attempt to retrieve an item from an empty stack.

Related terms: overflow

underflow

verb

Etymology From under- + flow, modelled on overflow.

Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences To trigger the condition in which the value of a computed quantity is smaller than the smallest non-zero value that can be physically stored.

Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences To trigger the error condition resulting from attempting to retrieve a value from an empty stack.

Upon an attempt to pop an empty stack, the stack underflows […]2022, Thomas H. Cormen, Charles E. Leiserson, Ronald L. Rivest, Introduction to Algorithms, fourth edition, page 255: