low-level

UK: ˌləʊ ˈlev.əl | US: ˌloʊ ˈlev.əl

Definition

  1. adj. relating to or occurring at a basic or fundamental stage

  2. adj. (computing) involving or relating to programming close to machine code

  3. adj. of low rank or importance

Structure
low <not high>level <degree or layer>
Etymology

The word "low-level" combines "low," derived from Old Norse "lágr" (meaning "not high" or "close to the ground"), and "level," from Latin "libra" (a balance or scale). In computing, "low-level" emerged in the mid-20th century to describe programming languages or operations close to hardware, contrasting with "high-level" abstractions. The term's logic reflects a hierarchical view of complexity or importance, where "low" denotes foundational or less advanced stages.

Examples

  1. The engineer debugged the low-level code to optimize performance.

  2. Low-level employees often lack decision-making authority.

  3. This task requires low-level access to the system's core functions.

  4. The meeting addressed both high-level strategy and low-level details.

  5. Rust is praised for its safe low-level memory management.