exception handler

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

exception handler

   Special code which is called when an {exception} occurs during
   the execution of a program.  If the programmer does not
   provide a handler for a given exception, a built-in system
   exception handler will usually be called resulting in abortion
   of the program run and some kind of error indication being
   returned to the user.

   Examples of exception handler mechanisms are {Unix}'s signal
   calls and {Lisp}'s {catch} and {throw}.

   (1994-10-31)