data processing

American  

[dey-tuh pros-es-ing, dat-uh, dah-tuh] / ˈdeɪ tə ˌprɒs ɛs ɪŋ, ˈdæt ə, ˈdɑ tə /

noun

1. processing of information, especially the handling of information by computers in accordance with strictly defined procedures and operations, as aggregation, sorting, analysis, or validation. DP

---

data processing British  

noun

1. 1. a sequence of operations performed on data, esp by a computer, in order to extract information, reorder files, etc

   2. ( as modifier )

      a data-processing centre

---

data processing Cultural  

1. Either the preparation of data for processing by a computer, or the storage and processing of raw data by the computer itself.

---

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• data processor
  noun

Etymology

Origin of data processing

First recorded in 1950–55

Example Sentences

Samsung shipped initial samples of 12-layer HBM4E chips, boasting over 20% faster data processing and 30% greater capacity.

From Barron's • May 29, 2026

"With further development and commercialization, this type of multidimensional holographic data storage could enable smaller data centers and more efficient large-scale archival storage, while also enhancing data processing and transmission efficiency," said Tan.

From Science Daily • Mar. 29, 2026

The negative catalyst was a blog post from Anthropic, which highlighted a new Claude Code feature that automates the modernization of common business-oriented language, a programming language used for data processing.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 24, 2026

It said the U.S. “stood out,” with imports of semiconductors alone surging by 36%, while purchases of servers and automatic data processing machines grew by 10%.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 7, 2025

Electronic data processing machines brought otherwise unattainable power and efficiency to the research process.

From "Hidden Figures" by Margot Lee Shetterly