big data

American  

noun

(used with a singular or plural verb)

1. Computers.  data sets, typically consisting of billions or trillions of records, that are so vast and complex that they require new and powerful computational resources to process.

   Supercomputers can analyze big data to create models of global climate change.

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big data British  

plural noun

1. computing data held in such large amounts that it can be difficult to process

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Etymology

Origin of big data

First recorded in 1975–80, for an earlier sense

Example Sentences

Morgan Stanley has decadeslong ties to top-tech companies, and the firm’s bankers began pitching them financing options for big data centers two years ago.

From The Wall Street Journal

Renaissance was building a data advantage before “big data” existed.

From MarketWatch

That’s exactly the type of bodacious, big data center—AI-driven data-center project—that he’s looking for,’” Perry recounted.

From The Wall Street Journal

Critics believe that stop-and-frisk tactics have taken a new, digitized form in what is known as “predictive policing,” a practice that reinforces racial bias through algorithms and big data.

From Salon

Snowflake and Palantir are frequently lumped together as competitors in Big Data.

From Barron's