a computer program by which a high-level programming language, such as COBOL or FORTRAN, is converted into machine language that can be acted upon by a computer Compare assembler n. early 14c., from Anglo-French compilour, Old French compileur “author, chronicler,” from Latin compilatorem,...
A file in a format that the computer can directly execute. Unlike source files, executable files cannot be read by humans. To transform a source file into an executable file, you need to pass it through a compiler or assembler. In DOS systems, executable files have either a.COM or.EXE ...