literate programming

noun

A programming paradigm in which a program is given as an explanation of the program logic in a natural language (such as English), interspersed with snippets of macros and traditional source code, from which compilable representation can be generated.

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Meanings

nounliterate programming (uncountable)
  1. uncountablecomputingA programming paradigm in which a program is given as an explanation of the program logic in a natural language (such as English), interspersed with snippets of macros and traditional source code, from which compilable representation can be generated.

Origin

Coined by Donald Knuth in 1984.

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

literate programming. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/literate%20programming

MLA

“literate programming.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/literate%20programming. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “literate programming,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/literate%20programming.

Source: literate programming on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.