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data

[ dey-tuh, dat-uh ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

(usually used with a singular verb) Digital Technology. information in digital format, as encoded text or numbers, or multimedia images, audio, or video:
The data was corrupted and can’t be retrieved.
Data is entered for immediate processing by the computer.
(used with a singular verb) a body of facts; information:
Additional data is available from the president of the firm.
(used with a plural verb) individual facts, statistics, or items of information:
These data represent the results of our analyses.
a plural of datum.

data

/ ˈdeɪtə; ˈdɑːtə /

plural noun

a series of observations, measurements, or facts; information
Also calledinformation computing the information operated on by a computer program

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Usage Note

Data is a plural of datum, which is originally a Latin noun meaning “something given.” Today, data is used in English both as a plural noun meaning “facts or pieces of information” ( These data are described more fully elsewhere ) and as a singular mass noun meaning “information” ( Not much data is available on flood control in Brazil ). It is usually treated as a plural in scientific and academic writing. In the digital or computer sense it is almost always treated as a mass noun and used with a singular verb. In other types of writing it is either singular or plural. The Latinate singular datum meaning “a piece of information” is now rare in all types of writing. In surveying and civil engineering, where datum has specialized senses, the plural form is datums.

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Usage

Although now often used as a singular noun, data is properly a plural

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Other Word Forms

��·�岹·�ٲ� noun

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Word History and Origins

Origin of data¹

First recorded in 1640–50; from Latin, plural of datum ( def )

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Word History and Origins

Origin of data¹

C17: from Latin, literally: (things) given, from dare to give

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Baroness Brown highlights the case of Guy's and St Thomas', the biggest hospital trust in London, which was hit by a failure to its data centres during the extreme heat of July 2022.

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But CalMatters later reported that data from the agency showed it had no prior knowledge of criminal or immigration history for 77 of the 78 people arrested.

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The grid operator said on Tuesday they "cannot draw conclusions" until they get concrete data.

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"Only M&S are able to tell us whether customers should be worried about their personal data," he said.

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Beyond these focus groups and other conversations with Donald Trump supporters, there is polling data that greatly challenges the conventional wisdom about Trump's doomed political fortunes.

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