regex backreference

[REJ-eks BAK-ref-er-ens]
nounpl: regex backreferences
retroreferência de expressão regular
1. A feature in regular expressions that refers back to a previously captured group within the same pattern, allowing you to match the same text that was matched by that group
The regex pattern (\w+)\s\1 uses a backreference to match repeated words like 'hello hello'
O padrão de expressão regular (\w+)\s\1 usa uma retroreferência para encontrar palavras repetidas como 'olá olá'
2. A notation using numbers (\1, \2, etc.) or named references to retrieve the content of captured groups for reuse in pattern matching or replacement operations
In the replacement string, \1 and \2 are backreferences to the first and second captured groups respectively
Na string de substituição, \1 e \2 são retroreferências para o primeiro e segundo grupos capturados respectivamente
This is a specialized technical term used primarily in programming, computer science, and text processing communities. It is language-agnostic and maintains consistent terminology across English and Portuguese-speaking technical communities. The term is especially important in web development, data validation, and text manipulation tasks.
Synonyms / Sinônimos
back-referencecaptured group referencegroup reference

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
retroreferência de expressão regular
Standard technical term used in programming and regex documentation
Portugal
retroreferência de expressão regular
Same terminology as Brazil; technical context in IT
USA/Canada
regex backreference
Standard English term in programming contexts

Related Words

capturing groupregular expressionpattern matchingnamed capture group
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