Question

I know Python is not the first language to have list comprehension. I m just interested in the history of the name.

I m particularly interested in why it s called comprehension

Why is list comprehension called so in Python?

Answer 1

The name comes from the concept of a set-comprehension

Comprehension is used here to mean complete inclusion or complete description. A set-comprehension is a (usually short) complete description of a set, not an exhaustive (and possibly infinite) enumeration.

Answer 2

"Comprehension" used to mean not only "understanding," but "inclusion" in logic. Oxford English Dictionary has the following: "I.4. Logic The sum of the attributes comprehended in a notion or concept; intension" as the fourth subdefinition under the first definition, "Inclusion, comprising." I wouldn t be surprised to learn that the usage passed into the history of mathematics through there. In a list or set comprehension, instead of giving the elements of the list or set explicitly, the programmer is describing what they comprehend (in the "include" sense) with an expression.

Answer 3

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/comprehend

3 - to include by construction or implication

Answer 4

The history section of the wikipedia page discusses a little on where it came from. List_comprehension#History

Answer 5

Because it s a very comprehensive way to describe a sequence (a set in math and other languages, and a list/sequence in Python).

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