What does stream mean? What are its characteristics?

Question

C++ and C# both use the word stream to name many classes.

• C++: iostream, ist

Answer 1

Official terms and explanations aside, the word stream itself was taken from the "real life" stream - instead of water, data is transferred from one place to another.

Regarding question you asked and still wasn't ansewered, you can name your own classes in names that contain stream but only if you implement some sort of new stream it will have correct meaning.