documentation

American  

[dok-yuh-men-tey-shuhn, -muhn-] / ˌdɒk yə mɛnˈteɪ ʃən, -mən- /

noun

1. the use of documentary evidence.

2. a furnishing with documents, as to substantiate a claim or the data in a book or article.

3. Computers. manuals, listings, diagrams, and other hard- or soft-copy written and graphic materials that describe the use, operation, maintenance, or design of software or hardware.

   The documentation for the driver program is displayed on the screen.

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documentation British  

/ ˌdɒkjʊmɛnˈteɪʃən /

noun

1. the act of supplying with or using documents or references

2. the documents or references supplied

3. the furnishing and use of documentary evidence, as in a court of law

4. computing the written comments, graphical illustrations, flowcharts, manuals, etc, supplied with a program or software system

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Other Word Forms

• documentational adjective

Etymology

Origin of documentation

First recorded in 1745–55; document + -ation

Explanation

Your driver's license is documentation of your age, address, and that you have passed the tests required to drive a car. Documentation is certifiable proof, or a set of official documents. Your new computer probably came with a packet of documentation that shows you how to use it and explains what to do when it breaks. In this sense, documentation means the official documents of your computer. If you are the person preparing a packet of information about how to use a computer program to keep attendance at school, you are preparing the documentation of that process.

Example Sentences

He continued: "In the middle of trying to process the most devastating moment of your life, the world demands meetings, paperwork, decisions, and explanations; as if documentation must come before mourning."

From BBC • Apr. 24, 2026

For David, navigating this process meant spending ten hours on the phone and resubmitting the same clinical documentation three times.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 22, 2026

“State voter registration systems aren’t set up to contain a record of what documentation has been presented. There’s a huge IT component to this,” Diaz said.

From Salon • Apr. 16, 2026

The Department of Transportation confirmed to The Times that it had received the necessary documentation.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 13, 2026

Jack would laugh if he knew, but she’s been in the system long enough to understand that it all comes down to documentation.

From "Orphan Train" by Christina Baker Kline

Related Words

• affidavit
• authentication
• authorization
• certification
• coupon
• credential
• deed
• diploma
• guarantee
• license
• paper
• permit
• receipt
• ticket
• voucher
• warrant
• warranty