(function () { //create object with two initail properties var obj = {}; obj.a = { a1: 1, a2: 2 }; obj.b = { b1: 1, b2: 2 }; //create a new property 'c' and refer property 'a' to it obj.c = obj.a; //cyclic reference obj.a = obj.b; obj.b = obj.a; //this function removes a property from the object // and display all the three properties on console, before and after. window.showremoveshow = function () { console.log(obj.a, '-----------a'); console.log(obj.b, '-----------b'); console.log(obj.c, '-----------c'); //delete proprty 'a' delete obj.a; //comes undefined console.log(obj.a, '-----------a'); //displays b console.log(obj.b, '-----------b'); //still displays the initial value obj.a console.log(obj.c, '-----------c'); } })(); Now: After deleting obj.a and checking the value of obj.c we find that obj.c still refers to the initial value of obj.a, however obj.a itself doesnt exist. So is this a memory leak. As obj.a is deleted and its initial value still exist.
Edit: is this means,like although we removed the property(obj.a) its values exist even after. Which can be seen in obj.c.
