"escape character" meaning in English

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "escape",
        "3": "character"
      },
      "expansion": "escape + character",
      "name": "compound"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "escape + character",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "escape characters",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "escape character (plural escape characters)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [
            "Entries with incorrect language header",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Computing",
          "orig": "en:Computing",
          "parents": [
            "Technology",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Telecommunications",
          "orig": "en:Telecommunications",
          "parents": [
            "Communication",
            "Technology",
            "All topics",
            "Fundamental"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "In the C programming language, the backslash is an escape character; for example, \\n represents a newline.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A single metacharacter, usually a control code, which in a sequence of characters signifies that what is to follow takes an alternative interpretation. The term escape sequence refers to the escape character and the subsequent character or characters so modified."
      ],
      "id": "en-escape_character-en-noun-stAk2jdg",
      "links": [
        [
          "computing",
          "computing#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "telecommunications",
          "telecommunications"
        ],
        [
          "metacharacter",
          "metacharacter"
        ],
        [
          "control code",
          "control code"
        ],
        [
          "character",
          "character"
        ],
        [
          "escape sequence",
          "escape sequence"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(computing, telecommunications) A single metacharacter, usually a control code, which in a sequence of characters signifies that what is to follow takes an alternative interpretation. The term escape sequence refers to the escape character and the subsequent character or characters so modified."
      ],
      "topics": [
        "communications",
        "computing",
        "electrical-engineering",
        "engineering",
        "mathematics",
        "natural-sciences",
        "physical-sciences",
        "sciences",
        "telecommunications"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "zhuǎnyì zìfú",
          "sense": "Translations",
          "word": "转义字符"
        },
        {
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "Translations",
          "word": "koodinvaihtomerkki"
        },
        {
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "Translations",
          "word": "suojausmerkki"
        },
        {
          "code": "el",
          "lang": "Greek",
          "roman": "charaktíras diafygís",
          "sense": "Translations",
          "tags": [
            "masculine"
          ],
          "word": "χαρακτήρας διαφυγής"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "Translations",
          "word": "carácter de escape"
        }
      ],
      "wikipedia": [
        "escape character"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "escape character"
}

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "escape",
        "3": "character"
      },
      "expansion": "escape + character",
      "name": "compound"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "escape + character",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "escape characters",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "escape character (plural escape characters)",
      "name": "en-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "noun",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English compound terms",
        "English countable nouns",
        "English entries with incorrect language header",
        "English lemmas",
        "English multiword terms",
        "English nouns",
        "English terms with usage examples",
        "Translation table header lacks gloss",
        "en:Computing",
        "en:Telecommunications"
      ],
      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "In the C programming language, the backslash is an escape character; for example, \\n represents a newline.",
          "type": "example"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A single metacharacter, usually a control code, which in a sequence of characters signifies that what is to follow takes an alternative interpretation. The term escape sequence refers to the escape character and the subsequent character or characters so modified."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "computing",
          "computing#Noun"
        ],
        [
          "telecommunications",
          "telecommunications"
        ],
        [
          "metacharacter",
          "metacharacter"
        ],
        [
          "control code",
          "control code"
        ],
        [
          "character",
          "character"
        ],
        [
          "escape sequence",
          "escape sequence"
        ]
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(computing, telecommunications) A single metacharacter, usually a control code, which in a sequence of characters signifies that what is to follow takes an alternative interpretation. The term escape sequence refers to the escape character and the subsequent character or characters so modified."
      ],
      "topics": [
        "communications",
        "computing",
        "electrical-engineering",
        "engineering",
        "mathematics",
        "natural-sciences",
        "physical-sciences",
        "sciences",
        "telecommunications"
      ],
      "wikipedia": [
        "escape character"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "zhuǎnyì zìfú",
      "sense": "Translations",
      "word": "转义字符"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "Translations",
      "word": "koodinvaihtomerkki"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "Translations",
      "word": "suojausmerkki"
    },
    {
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "roman": "charaktíras diafygís",
      "sense": "Translations",
      "tags": [
        "masculine"
      ],
      "word": "χαρακτήρας διαφυγής"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "Translations",
      "word": "carácter de escape"
    }
  ],
  "word": "escape character"
}