reverse Polish notation
nounUK /rɪˈvɜːs ˈpɒlɪʃ nəʊˈteɪʃən/
US /rɪˈvɜːrs ˈpoʊlɪʃ noʊˈteɪʃən/
A way of writing math where the numbers come first and the plus or minus sign comes last.
In reverse Polish notation, you write 3 4 + instead of 3 + 4.
RELATED WORDS
OTHER MEANINGS
2. A notation used by some calculators and computers to do math without parentheses.
The old HP calculator used reverse Polish notation to add numbers.
3. A method where each operator follows its two operands.
Reverse Polish notation makes it easy for a computer to evaluate expressions.
4. A way to write formulas that avoids needing brackets.
Programmers sometimes use reverse Polish notation in stack-based languages.