[1] : The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (27 SEP 03)

lambda abstraction
     
        a term in lambda-calculus denoting a function.  a lambda
        abstraction begins with a lower-case lambda represented as
        "\" in this document, followed by a variable name the "bound
        variable", a full stop and a lambda expression the body.
        the body is taken to extend as far to the right as possible
        so, for example an expression,
     
        	\ x . \ y . x+y
     
        is read as
     
        	\ x . \ y . x+y.
     
        a nested abstraction such as this is often abbreviated to:
     
        	\ x y . x + y
     
        the lambda expression \ v . e denotes a function which takes
        an argument and returns the term e with all free occurrences
        of v replaced by the actual argument.  application is
        represented by juxtaposition so
     
        	\ x . x 42
     
        represents the identity function applied to the constant 42.
     
        a lambda abstraction in lisp is written as the symbol
        lambda, a list of zero or more variable names and a list of
        zero or more terms, e.g.
     
        	lambda x y plus x y
     
        lambda expressions in haskell are written as a backslash,
        "\", one or more patterns e.g. variable names, "->" and an
        expression, e.g. \ x -> x.
     
        1995-01-24
     
     
see also:
lambda-calculus lambda expression free actual argument juxtaposition lambda abstraction 
lisp haskell 

Lambda >> L Words
Lambda, definition of term: Lambda
lambda_pag1.html

Abstraction >> A Words
Abstraction, definition of term: Abstraction
abstraction_pag1.html