data
Americannoun
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(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.
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(used with a singular verb) a body of facts; information.
Additional data is available from the president of the firm.
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(used with a plural verb) individual facts, statistics, or items of information.
These data represent the results of our analyses.
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a plural of datum.
plural noun
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a series of observations, measurements, or facts; information
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Also called: information. computing the information operated on by a computer program
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
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Jaguar set the pattern for Lemssouguer: Analyze the data, find conviction and make the trade as big as possible.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026
Department of Education’s new policy, announced in August, widely expanded long-standing federal data collection from universities.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 3, 2026
Housing supply data suggests it’s more than warm weather spurring growth.
From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026
They can be mass factory-produced and are particularly well-suited to meeting the energy demands of AI data centres, the production of hydrogen and local heating networks.
From BBC • Apr. 3, 2026
Today, the data that were drawn onto paper are directly captured by a computer instead.
From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
