high-level language - technical definition

A machine-independent programming language, such as FORTRAN, COBOL, BASIC, Pascal and C/C++. It lets the programmer concentrate on the logic of the problem to be solved rather than the intricacies of the machine architecture such as is required with low-level assembly languages.

There are dramatic differences between high-level languages. Look up the terms C, BASIC and COBOL, and review the sample code. What is considered high level depends on the era. There were assembly languages thirty years ago that were easier to understand than C.