C++
/see-plus-plus/ · noun · Development · Origin: 1985
Definitions
An extension of C that adds object-oriented programming, templates, and a vast standard library while maintaining low-level hardware control. C++ dominates game engines, browsers, databases, and high-frequency trading systems, though its complexity has earned it the reputation of being several languages stapled together.
In plain English: A powerful but complex programming language used for video games, web browsers, and anything that needs to run extremely fast.
Example: Unreal Engine, Chrome, MySQL, Bloomberg Terminal — when nanoseconds matter and you need control, it's C++.
Origin Story
C plus plus: the increment operator applied to an entire language
In 1979, Bjarne Stroustrup at Bell Labs began extending C with features from Simula, particularly classes and object-oriented programming. He initially called it **"C with Classes"** -- a perfectly descriptive but uninspiring name.
In 1983, Rick Mascitti suggested the name **C++**, a programmer's joke: the `++` operator in C increments a value by one, so C++ was literally "C incremented" or "one better than C." Stroustrup later noted that the name also reflected the evolutionary nature of the changes from C.
Pedantic programmers have pointed out that `c++` is a post-increment, meaning it returns the old value before incrementing. By that logic, C++ gives you C and only *then* becomes something better. Stroustrup has said this observation is "correct but not very helpful."
Coined by: Rick Mascitti (suggested the name)
Context: Bell Labs, 1983
Fun fact: Stroustrup considered the name '++C' (pre-increment) but rejected it. The alternative name 'D' was also discussed but never used -- though a language called D was eventually created by Walter Bright in 2001.