Definition, Meaning & Synonyms

nonterminal

noun

/nɒnˈtɜːrmɪnəl/

Definition

A symbol used in formal grammar that can be replaced by one or more symbols in the production rules of a formal language.

Examples

In a context-free grammar, ‘expr’ is often a nonterminal that can represent various expressions.
During parsing, nonterminals help define the structure of the data being processed.
The grammar’s nonterminals guide how sentences can be constructed with terminals.

Meaning

In the context of computer science and linguistics, a nonterminal is a type of variable that represents a category of phrases or expressions in a grammar, and it typically requires further expansion or rewriting.