constructor
1. In {functional programming} and {type theory}, one of the symbols used to create an object with an
{algebraic data type}.
2. A function provided by a {class} in {C::} and some other
{object-oriented languages} to {instantiate} an object,
i.e. to name it and initialise it. The constructor function
has the same name as the class. A class may also have a
{destructor} function to destroy objects of that class.
(1994-10-20)