empty word
In linguistics, 'empty words' play a structural role, while in computer science, they represent a zero-length string.
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Definition
C1Computer Science
(technical)A string with zero characters, acting as an identity element in operations.
Example
- In programming, an empty string is often denoted by '' or "".
B2Informal
(idiomatic)Expressions that seem meaningful but lack substance.
Example
- His promises were just empty words.
C1Linguistics
(technical)A term for words or morphemes that serve grammatical purposes without adding meaning.
Example
- In the sentence, 'I am going to the store,' the word 'to' is an empty word.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "empty word":