data

American  

[dey-tuh, dat-uh] / ˈdeɪ tə, ˈdæt ə /

noun

1. (usually used with a singular verb) information in digital format, as encoded text or numbers, or multimedia images, audio, or video.

   The data was corrupted and can’t be retrieved.

   Data is entered for immediate processing by the computer.

2. (used with a singular verb) a body of facts; information.

   Additional data is available from the president of the firm.

3. (used with a plural verb) individual facts, statistics, or items of information.

   These data represent the results of our analyses.

4. a plural of datum.

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data British  

/ ˈdeɪtə, ˈdɑːtə /

plural noun

1. a series of observations, measurements, or facts; information

2. Also called: information.  computing the information operated on by a computer program

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Usage

Data is a plural of datum, which is originally a Latin noun meaning “something given.” Today, data is used in English both as a plural noun meaning “facts or pieces of information” ( These data are described more fully elsewhere ) and as a singular mass noun meaning “information” ( Not much data is available on flood control in Brazil ). It is usually treated as a plural in scientific and academic writing. In the digital or computer sense it is almost always treated as a mass noun and used with a singular verb. In other types of writing it is either singular or plural. The Latinate singular datum meaning “a piece of information” is now rare in all types of writing. In surveying and civil engineering, where datum has specialized senses, the plural form is datums.

Although now often used as a singular noun, data is properly a plural

Other Word Forms

• predata noun

Etymology

Origin of data

First recorded in 1640–50; from Latin, plural of datum ( def. )

Example Sentences

We’re talking about the data centers now being built and financed by some of the world’s biggest companies in the artificial-intelligence boom.

From The Wall Street Journal

The deployments are helping firms to build a market and collect data to make the robots work better.

From The Wall Street Journal

Over 90 percent of its members prefer grass, said interim executive director David White, who highlighted data that shows the "energy return" from artificial surfaces is much higher.

From Barron's

Next week brings two of the most important economic data releases in the same calendar week, a rare occurrence due to the brief government shutdown earlier this month.

From Barron's

Next week brings two of the most important economic data releases in the same calendar week, a rare occurrence due to the brief government shutdown earlier this month.

From Barron's

Related Words

• dossier
• evidence
• goods
• info
• input
• knowledge
• picture
• statistics
• testimony