fifo

Everyday

1. (computing, maths) «First in, first out»: a rule where the first thing to come in is the first thing to go out, like a queue. tree →
2. (Australia, informal) «Fly-in fly-out»: a worker, often in a mine, who flies to work far away for some weeks and then flies home, as in «Dad is a FIFO worker». tree →

In the lessons

In computing and maths lessons, FIFO describes a queue, like children lining up for lunch: the first child in the line is served first. Its opposite is LIFO (last in, first out), like a stack of plates. In Australia, many children in Western Australia and Queensland have FIFO parents working in mines.

Examples

• A lunch queue works on FIFO: first in, first out. tree →
• The printer prints pages in FIFO order. tree →
• My dad is a FIFO worker on a mine in the Pilbara. tree →
• FIFO families often use video calls to keep in touch. tree →
• A stack of plates is LIFO, not FIFO. tree →
• Shops use FIFO so older milk is sold first. tree →

Note

Said «FYE-foh». An abbreviation, not an ordinary word; usually written in capitals. The Australian sense is everyday talk there.