null object
The term "null object" is used in both programming and linguistics, each with a distinct meaning related to the concept of absence or neutrality.
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Definition
C1Object-Oriented Programming
(technical)A design pattern that uses an object with predefined, neutral behavior to represent the absence of a real object.
Example
- The null object pattern helps avoid null reference errors in the code.
- Using a null object can simplify the handling of absent data.
C2Linguistics
(academic)A phenomenon where the object of a verb is implied or understood from context but not explicitly stated.
Example
- In the sentence 'She ate quickly,' the null object is the food she ate.
- Languages like Japanese often use null objects in casual speech.
Similar
Terms that have similar or relatively close meanings to "null object":