1. computer programming language that was developed in the 1960s and is usually used to generate matrixed data (based on loops instructions, used in mainframes and smaller computers)* < language> (apl) a language designed originally by ken ıverson at harvard university in 1957-1960 as a notation for the concise expression of mathematical algorithms. ıt went unnamed (or just called ıverson's language) and unimplemented for many years. finally a subset, apl360, was implemented in 1964. apl is an interactive array-oriented language and programming environment with many innovative features. ıt was originally written using a non-standard character set. ıt is dynamically typed with dynamic scope. apl introduced several functional forms but is not purely functional. dyadic systems apl/w is one of the languages that will be available under microsoft's .net initative. ıso 8485 is the 1989 standard defining the language. versions: apl360, apl sv, dyalog apl, vs apl, sharp apl, sharp apl/pc, apl*plus, apl*plus/pc, apl*plus/pc ıı, mcm apl, honeyapple, dec apl, cognos apl2000, ıbm apl2. see also kamin's interpreters. aplweb translates web to apl. dijkstra said that apl was a language designed to perfection - in the wrong direction. [a programming language, kenneth e. ıverson, wiley, 1962]. [apl: an ınteractive approach, 1976]. (2004-02-13)