Definition

Noun: A syntax error is a violation of the grammatical rules of a programming language. It occurs when the structure of a statement or command does not follow the language's predefined format and rules. These errors are typically detected by a compiler or interpreter before the program runs.

Usage

A syntax error prevents a program from being executed. It must be corrected for the code to be parsed and compiled or interpreted successfully. - The programmer fixed the syntax error by adding a missing semicolon. - Your code contains a syntax error on line 42.

Examples

Advanced Usage

• "Throw/cause a syntax error": To be the direct cause of a syntax violation.
  • Using a reserved word as a variable name will throw a syntax error.
• "SyntaxError": The specific name of the exception or error type in many programming languages (e.g., Python's , JavaScript's ).
  • The Python console displayed SyntaxError: invalid syntax.

Variants and Related Words

• Syntax: (n) The set of rules that defines the structure of a language.
• Parse error: (n) A type of error closely related to a syntax error, occurring when the compiler/interpreter cannot analyze the structure of the code.
• Compilation error: (n) A broader category of errors detected during compilation, which includes syntax errors.

Synonyms

• Grammatical error (in the context of programming languages).
• Parsing error.

Related Phrases

• "Catch a syntax error": To identify or detect a syntax error.
  • A good IDE helps you catch syntax errors as you type.
• "Debug a syntax error": To find and fix a syntax error.
  • She spent an hour debugging a syntax error in her script.

Noun

1. an error of language resulting from code that does not conform to the syntax of the programming language
   • syntax errors can be recognized at compilation time
   • a common syntax error is to omit a parenthesis