da·ta
Pronounced:
/ˈdeɪtə, ˈdætə/
Function:
nounMeaning:
1 [plural] : facts or information used usually to calculate, analyze, or plan something ▪ She spent hours reviewing the data from the experiment. ▪ They made their decisions based on the survey data. ▪ Much of the data is inconclusive. ▪ The company has access to your personal data.
2 [noncount] : information that is produced or stored by a computer ▪ She works as a data entry clerk. ▪ There was too much data for the computer to process. ▪ He is an expert in data retrieval. [=finding information stored on a computer]
usage Data is plural in form but is used with both plural and singular verbs. ▪ Is this data accurate? ▪ Are these data reliable? When used with plural verbs, data is thought of as the plural form of the noun datum. It is usually used with plural verbs only in formal or technical writing. ▪ Many of these data are incorrect.
2 [noncount] : information that is produced or stored by a computer ▪ She works as a data entry clerk. ▪ There was too much data for the computer to process. ▪ He is an expert in data retrieval. [=finding information stored on a computer]