patternvariable
nounUK /ˈpætən ˈveəriəbl/
US /ˈpætərn ˈveriəbəl/
A pattern variable is a special name in a pattern that holds a piece of information you just found.
In the pattern 'name is Ana', the word 'name' is a pattern variable that stores 'Ana'.
RELATED WORDS
OTHER MEANINGS
2. In functional programming, a name that captures part of a matched value for later use.
The pattern (x, y) uses x and y as pattern variables for the two parts of the pair.
3. In logic and rewriting, a symbol that stands for any term matching a rule.
The rule f(x) → x uses x as a pattern variable that can match any argument.
4. In text search, a token that stands for a changing part of a string.
The search pattern 'file_*.txt' uses a pattern variable to match any file name.