block-structured
structured language
<language> Any programming language in which sections of
{source code} contained within pairs of matching {delimiters}
such as "{" and "}" (e.g. in {C}) or "begin" and "end"
(e.g. {Algol}) are executed as a single unit. A block of code
may be the body of a {subroutine} or {function}, or it may be
controlled by conditional execution ({if statement}) or
repeated execution ({while statement}, {for statement}, etc.).
In all but the most primitive block structured languages a
{variable}'s {scope} can be limited to the block in which it
is declared.
Block-structured languages support {structured programming}
where each block can be written without detailed knowledge of
the inner workings of other blocks, thus allowing a {top-down
design} approach.
See also {abstract data type}, {module}.
(2004-09-29)