title: Is there a name for the function that returns a positionally-expanding version of its argument?
body: <p>Consider <code>splatter</code> in this Python code:</p>
  
  <pre><code>def splatter(fn):
      return lambda (args): fn(*args)
  
  def add(a, b):
      return a + b
  
  list1 = [1, 2, 3]
  list2 = [4, 5, 6]
  print map(splatter(add), zip(list1, list2))
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Mapping an n-ary function over n zipped sequences seems like a common enough operation that there might be a name for this already, but I have no idea where I'd find that. It vaguely evokes currying, and it seems like there are probably other related argument-centric HOFs that I've never heard of. Does anyone know if this is a "well-known" function? When discussing it I am currently stuck with the type of awkward language used in the question title.</p>
  
  <h3>Edit</h3>
  
  <p>Wow, Python's <code>map</code> does this automatically. You can write:</p>
  
  <pre><code>map(add, list1, list2)
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>And it will do the right thing, saving you the trouble of <code>splatter</code>ing your function. The only difference is that <code>zip</code> returns a list whose length is the the length of its shortest argument, whereas <code>map</code> extends shorter lists with <code>None</code>.</p>