What do you call a variable that stores a count or a total during a loop execution?

An accumulator is a variable that is specifically used to store a cumulative total or count during the execution of a loop. As the loop iterates, the accumulator is updated by adding values together or keeping track of counts based on certain conditions. This makes it particularly useful in situations where you need to aggregate results, such as summing numbers or counting occurrences of an event.

In contrast, a counter typically refers to a variable that increments by a fixed amount, often by one, to keep track of how many times something occurs, but it does not necessarily accumulate values. An iterator is an object that enables a programmer to traverse a container, particularly during loop execution, without exposing its underlying representation. An operator is a symbol that performs a specific mathematical or logical operation on variables or values, but it does not refer to a variable in the context of counting or accumulating totals. The role of the accumulator aligns perfectly with the purpose of continuously storing a running total or count throughout a loop process.