documentation

American  

[dok-yuh-men-tey-shuhn, -muhn-] / ˌdɒk jə mɛnˈteɪ ʃən, -mən- /

noun

• documentations
  plural

1. the use of documentary evidence.

2. a furnishing with documents, as to substantiate a claim or the data in a book or article.

3. Computers. manuals, listings, diagrams, and other hard- or soft-copy written and graphic materials that describe the use, operation, maintenance, or design of software or hardware.

   The documentation for the driver program is displayed on the screen.

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documentation British  

/ ˌdɒkjʊmɛnˈteɪʃən /

noun

1. the act of supplying with or using documents or references

2. the documents or references supplied

3. the furnishing and use of documentary evidence, as in a court of law

4. computing the written comments, graphical illustrations, flowcharts, manuals, etc, supplied with a program or software system

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• documentational
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• documentations
  plural

Etymology

Origin of documentation

First recorded in 1745–55; document + -ation

Explanation

Your driver's license is documentation of your age, address, and that you have passed the tests required to drive a car. Documentation is certifiable proof, or a set of official documents. Your new computer probably came with a packet of documentation that shows you how to use it and explains what to do when it breaks. In this sense, documentation means the official documents of your computer. If you are the person preparing a packet of information about how to use a computer program to keep attendance at school, you are preparing the documentation of that process.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

documentation documentations

The Tamil Nadu Forest Department says it is examining their documentation, including whether rules governing the international movement and possession of CITES-listed animals were followed.

From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026

The judge said the defense psychologist and doctor relied on Lavie’s accounts, but there was little documentation to support her mental health claims and back her allegations of abuse and violence.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026

But first, you will need to provide documentation showing that he requires long-term care and needs help bathing, dressing and eating, among other essential tasks.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 5, 2026

Representatives from the U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan and the Treasury Department last year met with the whistleblower and later received documentation tied to her claims, the people said.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 5, 2026

My mother and brothers had no passports or documentation, though, so the army told my father he would have to travel alone with me.

From "Malala: The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Changed the World" by Malala Yousafzai

Cote never expected her family’s rudimentary documentations to be used for any kind of analysis.

From Washington Post ● Oct. 6, 2021

What might seem like insider jokes about art, branding and “lifestyles” ultimately resulted in cringe-worthy documentations of downtown New York’s transformation into a retail mecca, with artists pushed out by gentrification.

From New York Times ● Dec. 2, 2020

“You have to produce some documentations supporting your contention.”

From US News ● May 18, 2016

Douglas did not respond to repeated interview requests from The Associated Press, but campaign spokeswoman Sandra Dowling said Friday that “there are plenty of documentations to completely validate Diane Douglas’ position on Common Core.”

From Washington Times ● Oct. 31, 2014

If we get enough, we will re-release this file, with the lengthy documentations at the end of the file contained herein.

From The Jargon File, Version 2.9.10, 01 Jul 1992 by Eric S. Raymond

Related Words

• affidavit
• authentication
• authorization
• certification
• coupon
• credential
• deed
• diploma
• guarantee
• license
• paper
• permit
• receipt
• ticket
• voucher
• warrant
• warranty