third generation language

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

third generation language
3GL

   <language> (3GL, "{high level language}") A language designed
   to be easier for a human to understand, including things like
   named variables.  A fragment might be

   	let c = c + 2 * d

   Fortran, ALGOL and COBOL are early examples of this sort of
   language.  Most "modern" languages ({BASIC}, {C}, {C++}) are
   third generation.  Most 3GLs support {structured programming}.

   See also {second generation language}, {fourth generation
   language}.

   (1996-05-30)