gensym

gensym
 /jen'sim/

   [from MacLISP for generated symbol]

   1. v. To invent a new name for something temporary, in such a way that
   the name is almost certainly not in conflict with one already in use.

   2. n. The resulting name. The canonical form of a gensym is `Gnnnn'
   where nnnn represents a number; any LISP hacker would recognize G0093
   (for example) as a gensym.

   3. A freshly generated data structure with a gensymmed name. Gensymmed
   names are useful for storing or uniquely identifying crufties (see
   {cruft}).
    

gensym

   <library> /jen'sim/ (From the {MacLISP} for "generated
   symbol") To invent a new name for something temporary, in
   such a way that the name is almost certainly not in conflict
   with one already in use.

   The canonical form of a gensym is "Gnnnn" where nnnn
   represents a number; any {LISP} {hacker} would recognise G0093
   (for example) as a gensym.  Gensymmed names are useful for
   storing or uniquely identifying crufties.

   [{Jargon File}]

   (1999-10-31)