Pragma

//ˈpɹæɡmə// noun

noun ·Rare ·Advanced level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    A compiler directive; data embedded in source code by programmers to indicate some intention to a compiler.

    "This pragma stops the compiler from generating those warnings we don't care about."

  2. 2
    In early versions of HTTP, a general header that specifies some implementation-specific directive, to any recipient, and may specify that the HTTP response should not be cached. Internet

    "It is not possible to specify a pragma for a specific recipient; however, any pragma directive not relevant to a recipient should be ignored by that recipient."

  3. 3
    A practical thing or action, as opposed to theory or belief (dogma). uncommon

    "At any given minute, we must choose between habitual action and thoughtful action, between Dogma and Pragma."

Synonyms

All synonyms
pragmatpragmat

Example

More examples

"This pragma stops the compiler from generating those warnings we don't care about."

Etymology

From Ancient Greek πρᾶγμα (prâgma, “a thing done, a fact”). In the technical senses perhaps a back-formation from pragmatic or a clipping of pragmat used earlier in ALGOL.

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.