stack
stak
Stack (noun) means a pile of things placed neatly one on top of another. Example: “A tall stack of books leaned dangerously on the edge of her desk.”
noun
1
A pile of things placed neatly one on top of another.
"A tall stack of books leaned dangerously on the edge of her desk."
"He balanced a stack of plates on one arm."
"There's a stack of unread mail on the counter."
2
In computing, a data structure where the last item added is the first one removed, or the memory area used for tracking function calls.
"The programmer pushed the number onto the stack, then popped it off."
"The program crashed with a stack overflow error."
"Each function call pushes a new frame onto the stack."
3
Informal: a large sum of money.
"He must have stacks saved up after years of working abroad."
"They spent a stack on the wedding, though nobody knew exactly how much."
"She made stacks of cash flipping houses."
verb
1
To arrange things in a pile, or to add something to an existing pile.
"She stacked the folded towels neatly on the top shelf of the cupboard."
"Stack the chairs against the wall after the meeting."
"They stacked sandbags along the riverbank."
How to use stack
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThings piled on top of each other — or, in tech, a particular way of storing and retrieving data or software layers.
Common mistake
In casual speech "to stack" can also mean to crash (e.g. a bike), which can confuse readers expecting the "pile up" sense.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
a stack of papers
stack overflow
tech stack
stack up
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Word forms
- Plural
- stacks
- Third person singular
- stacks
- Past tense
- stacked
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
A tall _____ of books leaned dangerously on the edge of her desk.
Etymology
From Old Norse stakkr, meaning a haystack or heap; the computing sense is a much later, figurative extension of the same "pile" idea.
Related words
Rhymes for stack
See all rhymes for stack →Frequently asked questions
What does “stack” mean?
The word “stack” means a pile of things placed neatly one on top of another. In plain terms, things piled on top of each other — or, in tech, a particular way of storing and retrieving data or software layers.
How do you pronounce “stack”?
“Stack” is pronounced stak (/stæk/ in IPA).
How do you use “stack” in a sentence?
Here is “stack” used in a sentence: “He balanced a stack of plates on one arm.”
What part of speech is “stack”?
Depending on how it is used, “stack” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “stack” come from?
The word “stack” comes from Old Norse. From Old Norse stakkr, meaning a haystack or heap; the computing sense is a much later, figurative extension of the same "pile" idea.
Is “stack” a common word?
“Stack” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
How many meanings does “stack” have?
“Stack” has 4 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a pile of things placed neatly one on top of another.
What is the difference between a "stack" and a "pile"?
A stack is orderly: things placed neatly one on top of another, like a stack of plates or books. A pile can be any heap, tidy or not. Every stack is a pile, but a jumbled pile of laundry is not a stack.
What is the difference between a stack and a queue in programming?
A stack is a data structure where the last item added is the first one removed — "last in, first out," like lifting the top plate from a pile. A queue is the reverse: the first item added is the first removed, "first in, first out," like a line of people waiting.
Is "stacks" a slang term for money?
Yes. Informally, a "stack" is a large sum of money, and "stacks" means plenty of it: "she's making stacks." In US slang a stack is often understood more precisely as a thousand dollars, though everyday use usually just means a lot of cash.
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