Source : Free On-Line Dictionary of Computing

third generation language
     
         (3GL, "{high level language}") A language designed
        to be easier for a human to understand, including things like
        named variables.  A fragment might be
     
        	let c = c + 2 * d
     
        Fortran, ALGOL and COBOL are early examples of this sort of
        language.  Most "modern" languages ({BASIC}, {C}, {C++}) are
        third generation.  Most 3GLs support {structured programming}.
     
        See also {second generation language}, {fourth generation
        language}.
     
        (1996-05-30)