noun
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a systematized collection of data that can be accessed immediately and manipulated by a data-processing system for a specific purpose
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informal any large store of information
a database of knowledge
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of database
Explanation
A database is an organized body of information. Libraries have lots of databases to help you find books, articles, or information. Looking for some information? You might need to check a database, probably at the library or online. A database collects a bunch of information and resources, usually on a common subject. Some databases feature newspapers; others are related to legal issues. The police use databases to track criminals, and the government uses databases to track terrorists. Anywhere there's information being collected and accessed, there's probably a database keeping track of it all.
Vocabulary lists containing database
Computer Science and Technology - Introductory
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Computer Science and Technology - Middle School
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Computer Science and Technology - High School
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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.
In March, she found her former partner had illegally looked up her files on the NHS database on 10 separate occasions.
From BBC • Jul. 8, 2026
Holder is carrying out his sentence in California State Prison, Corcoran, and will be eligible for parole in November 2039, according to the California Department of Corrections & Rehabilitation database.
From Los Angeles Times • Jul. 7, 2026
RPCS3, a well-known PlayStation simulator, is already inviting fans to help input their personal game archives and metadata into the virtual database.
From Slate • Jul. 7, 2026
To test that assumption, the research team analyzed a database of electrophysiology recordings collected from pre-clinical models of cerebellar disease.
From Science Daily • Jul. 1, 2026
While the data and video on the Third Gate was copying over to my flash drive, I continued to delve deeper into the Sixer database.
From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline
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.
