digitization

American  

[dij-it-ahyz-ay-shuhn] / ˌdɪdʒ ɪtˌaɪzˈeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. the conversion or adaptation of something, such as data, an analog display, an activity, or a process, to a digital form or environment.

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Explanation

The process of converting pictures, sound, or information into a form that a computer can easily read is digitization. Before the digitization of music, people listened to their favorite songs using record players. In order to interpret information, a computer needs that information to take a particular form — specifically, binary code, which represents data using only the digits 1 and 0. Converting analog information (like a photograph or words on the pages of a book) into this digital form is digitization. This process is necessary in order for you to read your favorite book on an e-reader or to watch your parents' old home movies on a laptop.

Example Sentences

The digitization of the archives is being done to make it easier to access the tapes.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 23, 2026

The effort, known as Antscan, could guide future large scale digitization projects for many kinds of organisms.

From Science Daily • Mar. 10, 2026

In an age of widespread digitization and innovation, where technology permeates nearly every aspect of daily life, food delivery apps flourish because they provide convenience.

From Salon • Mar. 3, 2026

He offers a useful outline of digital transformation: digitization, integration, analysis and finally acting on insights to change behavior.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 8, 2026

As I detail in the next chapter, we are entering a phase where we are going to see the digitization, virtualization, and automation of more and more everything.

From "The World Is Flat" by Thomas L. Friedman