Meaning of the word "garbage collector" in English

What does "garbage collector" mean in English? Explore the meaning, pronunciation, and specific usage of this word with Lingoland.

garbage collector

US /ˈɡɑːr.bɪdʒ kəˌlek.tər/
UK /ˈɡɑː.bɪdʒ kəˌlek.tər/

Noun

1.

a person whose job is to collect garbage from outside houses and other buildings

Example:
The garbage collector comes every Tuesday morning.
He waved at the garbage collector as the truck drove by.
2.

a program that automatically reclaims memory that is no longer in use

Example:
Java uses automatic garbage collection to manage memory.
Efficient garbage collectors are crucial for high-performance applications.