call-by-reference

1 definition found

call-by-reference - Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (26 May 2007) :

  call-by-reference
  
     <programming> An argument passing convention where the
     address of an argument variable is passed to a function or
     procedure, as opposed to passing the value of the argument
     expression.  Execution of the function or procedure may have
     side-effects on the actual argument as seen by the caller.
     The C language's "&" (address of) and "*" (dereference)
     operators allow the programmer to code explicit
     call-by-reference.  Other languages provide special syntax to
     declare reference arguments (e.g. ALGOL 60).
  
     See also call-by-name, call-by-value,
     call-by-value-result.
  
     (2006-05-27)