top-of-stack pointer
nounUK /ˌtɒp əv ˈstæk ˈpɔɪntə/
US /ˌtɑːp əv ˈstæk ˈpɔɪntər/
A marker that shows where the newest item sits on top of a pile.
The program reads the top-of-stack pointer to find the last number it saved.
RELATED WORDS
OTHER MEANINGS
2. A register that holds the address of the most recently pushed item on a stack.
After the push, the top-of-stack pointer moved up by four bytes.
3. A variable used by a compiler to track the current top element during expression evaluation.
The compiler updates the top-of-stack pointer whenever it shifts a value.
4. In hardware design, a signal that indicates which stack entry is currently active.
The controller checks the top-of-stack pointer before reading the return address.