database

American  

[dey-tuh-beys] / ˈdeɪ təˌbeɪs /

Or data-base,

noun

1. a comprehensive collection of related data datum organized for convenient access, generally in a computer.

2. data bank.

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database British  

/ ˈdeɪtəˌbeɪs /

noun

1. a systematized collection of data that can be accessed immediately and manipulated by a data-processing system for a specific purpose

2. informal any large store of information

   a database of knowledge

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database Scientific  

/ dā′tə-bās′,dăt′ə- /

1. A collection of data arranged for ease and speed of search and retrieval by a computer.

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database Cultural  

1. A set of data grouped together in one location in (or accessible by) a computer. A computerized database has been likened to an electronic filing cabinet of information arranged for easy access or for a specific purpose.

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Etymology

Origin of database

First recorded in 1965–70; data + base ¹

Example Sentences

On Feb. 18, Ms. Russell replied: “Reminder that you can search over 250k news articles for AI slop at . . .” followed by the URL of the Maryland study’s database.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 3, 2026

Forty-eight-year-old retailer Eszter Somfai had her home address shared online, after an internal party database with some 200,000 supporters' personal details was leaked last November.

From Barron's • Apr. 3, 2026

“We think Oracle should be one of the go-to investment names given its AI datacenter business and its core database business,” Moerdler wrote.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 30, 2026

But the wave keeps building: A database of AI hallucinations maintained by the French researcher Damien Charlotin now numbers 1,174 cases, of which some 750 are from U.S. courts.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 27, 2026

Now it was just a matter of time before the doctors and nurses looked through the missing-persons database to find him.

From "Zeitoun" by Dave Eggers