alpha conversion (theory) In lambda-calculus and reduction, the renaming of a formal parameter in a lambda abstraction. This does not change the meaning of the abstraction. For example:
\ x . x+1 <--> \ y . y+1
If the actual argument to a lambda abstraction contains instances of the abstraction's formal parameter then it is necessary to rename the parameter before applying the abstraction to avoid name capture. Last updated: 1995-05-10
