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Do you mean reader macros? Those are used to implement new kinds of syntax within Common Lisp's parser, the READ function. Even standard parts of Common Lisp syntax are defined this way, such as quote (') or backquote (`).

For more examples, see http://lisper.in/reader-macros/.



Actually the entirety of Common Lisp's parser except for numbers, symbols, and the consing dot are implemented as read macros.


It's been a while since I looked at the spec, but I think the dot as used in cons cells is part of the left-parenthesis reader macro.





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