instantiation
/ɪnˌstænʃiˈeɪʃən/ noun
Forms instantiations
- noun (uncountable) The production of an instance, example, or specific application of a general classification, principle, theory, etc.
- noun (countable) Something resulting from the act of instantiating; an instance.
- noun (by extension, object-oriented programming) A creation of an instance of some class or template.
Etymology
A coinage of the twentieth century, from instantiate + -ion, itself coined in 1946 from instance + -ate. The latter, in the sense "a case, an example", from Middle English instance, from Medieval Latin īnstantia (“a being near, presence; also perseverance, earnestness, importunity, urgency”), from Latin īnstāns (“urgent”); see English instant.
Sources: Wiktionary — from the Wiktionary entry “instantiation”, CC BY-SA 4.0. Details