catflap.org Online Dictionary Query

  implicit type conversion
       
           (Or "coercion") The abilty of some compilers
          to automatically insert type conversion functions where an
          expression of one type is used in a context where another type
          is expected.
       
          A common example is coercion of integers to reals so that
          an expression like sin(1) is compiled as sin(integerToReal(1))
          where sin is of type Real -> Real.
       
          A coercion is usually performed automatically by the compiler
          whereas a cast is an explicit type conversion inserted by
          the programmer.
       
          See also subtype.
       
          (1997-07-28)