▪ I. Algol1 Astr.
(ˈælgɒl)
[ad. Arab. al ghūl (see ghoul).]
The β star of the constellation Perseus, of variable brightness.
| 1390 Gower Conf. VII. 1329 The thridde [star]..Is hote Algol the clere rede. 1706 [see Medusa's Head1]. 1855 Astron. Jrnl. IV. 57/1 Algol, or β Persei, unquestionably belongs to the most remarkable of all the variable stars. 1880 E. C. Pickering in Proc. Amer. Acad. Arts & Sciences XVI. 1 (title) Dimensions of the Fixed Stars, with special reference to Binaries and Variables of the Algol Type. 1909 [see demon 3]. 1935 Auden & Isherwood Dog beneath Skin ii. v. p. 111 Alan lifting his eyes sees The Bear, the Waggoner, the Scales And Algol waxing and waning as his hope. 1965 Listener 20 May 740/2 Algol..seems to shine steadily for two and a half days..and then exhibits a..‘wink’ lasting for several hours. |
▪ II. Algol2
(ˈælgɒl)
[f. algorithmic a. + language n.1]
An international algebraic language for use in programming computers.
| 1959 Perlis & Samelson in Numerische Mathematik I. 41 (title) Report on the Algorithmic Language Algol. 1959 Oxf. Univ. Gaz. 3 Dec. 361/2 Dialgol, a dialect of Algol. 1961 Times 3 Oct. (Computer Suppl.) p. x/7 Algol..is used widely as a communication language. |