| Webster's Online Dictionary |
| Expressions | Domain | Definition | |
| External sort | Computing | A sort requiring the use of auxiliary storage because the set of items to be sorted cannot be held in the available internal storage at one time. Source: European Union. (references) | |
| External sort | Math | Any sort algorithm that uses external memory, such as tape or disk, during the sort. Since most common sort algorithms assume high-speed random access to all intermediate memory, they are unsuitable if the values to be sorted don't fit in main memory. (references) | |
Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits. | Top | ||
