A function that belongs to and operates on a specific class or object, defining what actions that object can perform. Methods encapsulate behavior and provide a way for objects to interact with their own data and other objects.
From Greek 'methodos' meaning 'way of proceeding' or systematic approach. Scientific method described systematic procedures. Object-oriented programming adopted the term in the 1960s to distinguish functions that belong to objects from standalone functions, emphasizing the systematic way objects perform actions.
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