noun
dummy variable
Computing term for a placeholder variable used in programming, data analysis, or statistics.
ループの中で見掛け変数として i を使う。
Use i as a dummy variable inside the loop.
この関数の引数に見掛け変数を渡してください。
Please pass a dummy variable as an argument to this function.
Synonymous loanword version; 見掛け変数 is the native Japanese equivalent, both are used in computing contexts.
Compound of 見掛け (みかけ, 'apparent') + 変数 (へんすう, 'variable'). The exact derivation is uncertain; the term is a calque or translation of the English 'dummy variable'.