automatic variable (thing)

A term used in computer programming. It refers to those variables local to specific functions that are automatically allocated on the stack during each invocation of the function.

Example:

	void
	swap(int *a, int *b)
	{
		int temp;	/* Automatic Variable! */

		temp = *b;
		*b = *a;
		*a = temp;
	}

They're called automatic because upon each invocation of a function, storage space for these variables is automatically allocated on the stack for them.

Note: The keyword "auto" exists for explicitly declaring an automatic variable within a block. Such as:

        ...
        {
                auto int temp;
                ...
        }