instance

noun
/ˈɪnstəns/

An occasion; an order of occurrence.

Other meanings

A case offered as an exemplification or a precedent; an illustrative example.
One of a series of recurring occasions, cases, essentially the same.

Synonyms

case
example

Related words

instancy
argument instance
substitution instance
instant
tribunal of first instance
instantaneous
instantial
instantiate
instantiation
instantly

Example sentences

“You can't access an instance variable from a static method.”
Tatoeba · Miktsoanit · CC0

Word history

From Latin "īnstantia".

Where this comes from

This definition is adapted from “instance” on Wiktionary, by its contributors; example sentences are from Tatoeba, credited to their authors above; related-word lists use Open English WordNet (CC BY 4.0, based on Princeton WordNet), published under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page is published under the same licence.