What does getter mean?
Getter is a noun with several related uses. In programming, its most familiar meaning is a method or function that retrieves the value of a property, often paired with a setter, which assigns or changes that value. Outside computing, a getter can mean a person or thing that obtains something, although this sense is less common and may sound informal. In vacuum technology, a getter is a material or component that absorbs residual gases, helping maintain the low pressure required in equipment such as vacuum tubes. The word is formed from get and the agent suffix -er, a pattern that turns many verbs into nouns identifying an agent or performer. Its specialized meanings are more established than the general noun, so readers will often infer either software or engineering context. Although getter is not among the most frequent everyday English nouns, it remains useful in technical writing because it labels the operation of retrieval precisely and distinguishes it from the act of setting or assigning a value.
nounA getter is a person or thing that gets, retrieves, or obtains something. In computing, it specifically means a method or function that returns the value of a property, while in vacuum technology it can refer to a material or device that absorbs residual gases.
- In computing, a method or function that returns the value of a property or field.
- A person or thing that gets, obtains, or retrieves something.
- A material or component used to absorb residual gases from a vacuum, especially in vacuum tubes or related equipment.
"The getter returns the current value of the property whenever the program needs to read it."
"The getter returns the user's display name without modifying the underlying settings."
"A vacuum getter helps maintain the low pressure needed for proper operation."
The regular plural is getters, although the word is usually used in singular form in technical contexts.
"Several getters are used to remove residual gases from the vacuum chamber."
In programming, a getter is the quiet workhorse that lets code read a value without changing it.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of getter
Getter is an English agent noun formed from the verb get and the productive suffix -er, which identifies a person or thing that performs an action. The base get descends from Old English gietan, related to words such as forget and beget that preserve the same Germanic root. The modern inflected forms got and gotten developed through different historical and dialectal patterns, while the noun getter continued the ordinary English practice of deriving an agent term from a verb.
How getter is actually used
The computing sense is standard technical terminology, especially in object-oriented programming. The general sense is relatively uncommon and can sound informal or occupational, while the vacuum sense is restricted to specialist technical contexts.
Easily confused with getter
A getter retrieves or reads a value, whereas a setter assigns or changes one.