abstract syntax tree

from The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (8 July 2008)

abstract syntax tree

   <compiler> (AST) A data structure representing something which
   has been parsed, often used as a {compiler} or {interpreter}'s
   internal representation of a program while it is being
   optimised and from which {code generation} is performed.  The
   range of all possible such structures is described by the
   {abstract syntax}.

   (1994-11-08)