Data
/ˈdeɪtə/
Definitions
Facts, information, or statistics used as a basis for reasoning, discussion, or calculation.
/ˈdeɪtə/
Facts and statistics collected together for reference or analysis.
The survey collected data about consumer preferences.
💡 Simply: Data is like the information you gather – like when you ask your friends what their favorite ice cream flavor is. Then you collect all their answers and see which flavor is the most popular! It's all the 'stuff' that helps you learn something.
👶 For kids: Data is like a bunch of facts or information that we use to learn about something. It can be numbers, words, or pictures!
More Examples
The scientists analyzed the data from the experiment.
We need more data to support this hypothesis.
How It's Used
"Scientists analyze data to draw conclusions about experiments."
"Businesses use data to understand customer behavior and improve sales."
"The computer processes large amounts of data rapidly."
Idioms & expressions
Big data
Extremely large data sets that may be analyzed computationally to reveal patterns, trends, and associations.
"Companies are investing heavily in big data analytics to gain insights into their customers."
Data mining
The process of discovering patterns and relationships in large data sets.
"Data mining techniques are used to identify fraudulent transactions."
From Latin *data* meaning 'things given', plural of *datum* 'something given'. Originally used in the context of scientific and philosophical arguments before becoming widespread in the 20th century with the rise of computing.
Historically, 'data' was used in academic and philosophical contexts to refer to given facts or premises. Its usage became significantly broader with the rise of computing in the 20th century.
Memory tip
Think of 'data' as the ingredients you use to make a decision or solve a problem.
Word Origin
"'things given'; plural of *datum*, 'something given'"