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. )

Explanation

Data is information such as facts and numbers used to analyze something or make decisions. Computer data is information in a form that can be processed by a computer. Data is the plural of Latin datum, "something given." In scientific use, the word data is often considered to be a plural noun meaning "pieces of information": The data are reliable. But most people think of data as a mass noun meaning "information" and use the word with a singular verb and pronoun: The data is reliable because it was tested by experts.

Example Sentences

DATA: download the latest datasheet and rankings by constituency as a spreadsheet INTERACTIVE: The benefit map of Britain Summary Benefit claimants by 2010 parliamentary constituency Claimant count on 11 March 2010.

From The Guardian • Apr. 21, 2010

Download the data • DATA: Acquisitions by the National Heritage Memorial Fund World government data • Search the world's government with our gateway Can you do something with this data?

From The Guardian • Mar. 24, 2010

Download the data DATA: download the latest datasheet and rankings by constituency as a spreadsheet INTERACTIVE: The benefit map of Britain Can you do something with this data?

From The Guardian • Mar. 17, 2010

"There's no moral difference between the extreme, day-in, day-out poverty in Africa, and the situation in Asia," Jamie Drummond of DATA, which lobbies for aid to Africa, told the Washington Post.

From Time Magazine Archive

Maupertuis is not of very engaging ways; he takes my dimensions harshly with his quadrant: it is said there enters something of envy into his DATA.

From History of Friedrich II of Prussia — Volume 16 by Carlyle, Thomas

Related Words

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