bound variable

bound variable

[¦bau̇nd ′ver·ē·ə·bəl]

(mathematics)

In logic, a variable that occurs within the scope of a quantifier, and cannot be replaced by a constant.

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of Scientific & Technical Terms, 6E, Copyright © 2003 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.

bound variable

(1)

A bound variable or formal argument in a function definition is replaced by the actual argument when the function is applied. In the lambda abstraction

\ x . M

x is the bound variable. However, x is a free variable of the term M when M is considered on its own. M is the scope of the binding of x.

bound variable

(2)

In logic a bound variable is a quantified variable. See quantifier.

This article is provided by FOLDOC - Free Online Dictionary of Computing (foldoc.org)