garbage value
nounUK /ˈɡɑːbɪdʒ ˈvæljuː/
US /ˈɡɑːrbɪdʒ ˈvæljuː/
A garbage value is a random, meaningless number that a computer shows when it has not been given a real one.
The program printed a garbage value because the variable was never set.
RELATED WORDS
OTHER MEANINGS
2. A leftover value in memory that was not properly cleared before use.
Reading past the end of the array gave us a garbage value.
3. Any incorrect or useless piece of data in a program's output.
The report was full of garbage values after the file got corrupted.
4. A placeholder value that has no real meaning until it is replaced.
The table showed garbage values until the database finished loading.