A broad definition is widespread: * http://www.boost.org/doc/libs/release/libs/assert/assert.html http://www.boost.org/doc/libs/release/libs/assert/assert.htm.

A broad definition is widespread: * http://www.boost.org/doc/libs/release/libs/assert/assert.html http://www.boost.org/doc/libs/release/libs/assert/assert.htm... * https://wiki.libsdl.org/CategoryAssertions https://wiki.libsdl.org/CategoryAssertions * https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ew16s3zc.aspx https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ew16s3zc.aspx * https://github.com/questor/eastl/blob/master/assert.cpp https://github.com/questor/eastl/blob/master/assert.cpp * http://kernelnewbies.org/FAQ/BUG http://kernelnewbies.org/FAQ/BUG Plus my copy of "The C++ Programming Language" (3rd edition) includes an example of creating an assertion facility that uses exceptions. I don't know who you talk to, but when assert comes up in conversations -- even conversations limited to C or C++ -- I know what the assert is meant to do but I don't assume I know where it's defined or if it's a one-size-fits-all approach.