torch

Torch is a term with several distinct meanings. Historically, a torch is a portable light source, typically a staff with burning material such as pitch or oil wrapped in cloth to produce illumination. In modern English, the word can refer to either a flame-based device or (especially in British usage) a handheld electric light such as a flashlight. Torches come in many forms, from simple oil-damped wicks to battery-powered flashlights, and they are used for outdoor activities, signaling, search and rescue, and ceremonial lighting.

In computing, Torch refers to an open-source scientific computing framework originally built around the Lua programming language as part of the Torch7 project. It provided a flexible environment for tensor computation and machine learning, with a rich ecosystem of packages for neural networks, optimization, and related tasks. Torch enjoyed widespread use in research during the 2010s and influenced subsequent frameworks. Its ideas helped shape the development of PyTorch, a Python-based successor released by Facebook AI Research, which reimplemented and extended many Torch concepts; active development of the original Lua/Torch ecosystem declined after around 2017.

The Olympic torch is a ceremonial flame associated with the modern Games. It is lit in Olympia, Greece, and carried by a relay to the host city, where it is used to ignite the Olympic cauldron during the opening ceremony. The relay and flame symbolize continuity between the ancient and modern Games and have inspired similar rituals in other events and organizations. The word torch also broadly denotes portable flames and signaling devices beyond these specific uses.