Tuple

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˈtʊpəl/

Definitions

1. A data structure that consists of a finite sequence of elements, which can each have distinct types and are often used to represent complex relationships
2. An arranged collection of components that maintains a specified order, allowing for various data types to be grouped together systematically
3. A structured grouping of elements, often of varied types, arranged in a fixed sequence to facilitate complex data representation

Etymology: The word "tuple" is a back-formation of a sort, built not from a single root but from the ending of a family of words. It is taken from the final syllable of "quintuple" and "sextuple," words meaning five-fold and six-fold. Those in turn end in "-ple," which traces to the Latin suffix "-plus," meaning "-fold," as in "duplus" (double). So the word is essentially a multiplicative ending that has been detached from its numerical prefixes and pressed into service as a name for a group of items. In computing, a tuple is an ordered collection of values whose length is fixed, and the naming logic follows the same pattern: a "pair" holds two items, a "triple" three, and a "tuple" stands in for an unspecified number of them. The shift from "times-folded" to "a grouping of several things" is what makes the term work in programming and mathematics alike.

Synonyms: set, collection, group