- A feature of some object-oriented computer programming languages in which an object or class can inherit characteristics and features from more than one parent object or parent class. It is distinct from single inheritance, where an object or class may only inherit from one particular object or class. Multiple inheritance has been a sensitive issue for many years, with opponents pointing to its increased complexity and ambiguity in situations such as the “diamond problem,” where it may be ambiguous as to which parent class a particular feature is inherited from if more than one parent class implements said feature. This can be addressed in various ways, including using virtual inheritance. ← Wikipedia
- Related terms: Inheritance, Virtual inheritance, Mixin, Class
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