a programming language particularly suited for writing programs to process large files of data, using a vocabulary of common English words, phrases, and sentences.
Origin
1955-60;co(mmon)b(usiness)-o(riented)l(anguage)
British Dictionary definitions for COBOL
COBOL
/ˈkəʊˌbɒl/
noun
1.
a high-level computer programming language designed for general commercial use
Word Origin
C20: co(mmon) b(usiness) o(riented) l(anguage)
Word Origin and History for COBOL
n.
1960, U.S. Defense Department acronym, from "Common Business-Oriented Language."
COBOL in Science
COBOL
(kō'bôl') A programming language developed in the late 1950s and early 1960s and used especially for business applications. It is closer to English than many other high-level languages, making it easier to learn.