Looking up...
A value automatically assigned to a variable, parameter, or setting when no explicit value is provided.
The function’s timeout parameter has a default value of 30 seconds.
If you don’t set a timeout, the function will wait 30 seconds before stopping.
Default values can often be overridden by user input or configuration files.
From the verb 'default' (Middle English, from Old French 'defaulter' meaning 'to fail to fulfill a duty') combined with 'value' (from Latin 'valere' – to be strong, worth). The phrase entered computing jargon in the 1960s with early programming languages that allowed automatic initialisation of variables.
Common in programming, databases, and configuration files. Always check documentation because a default value may not be the optimal or safest choice.