data English · revision 3612

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1646|origins=ine-pro *dō-}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /ˈdeɪ.tə/, /ˈdɑː.tə/, US /ˈdeɪ.t̬ə/, /ˈdæt̬.ə/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|data|t=things given]], the plural of [[m|la|datum|t=a thing given]],^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000)^(SOED 2002) the neuter past participle of [[m|la|dare|t=to give]],^(Etymonline) from [[ine-pro|*dō-|t=to give]].^(Etymonline) The same Latin form, used to head medieval letters, gave [[date]] in the sense of time.^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Things given or granted, facts assumed as the basis of reasoning: 1646,^(MW Collegiate)^(MWU 2024) at first a term in philosophy.^(Cresswell 2021) In classical use it was a fact given as the basis for a calculation in mathematics.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The sense “numerical facts collected for reference” is from 1897,^(Etymonline) and “information stored and processed by computers” from 1946.^(Etymonline)^(HTOED) ''Data processing'' is from 1954, ''database'' from 1962 and ''data entry'' from 1969.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1646 – things given or assumed.^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1897 – collected numerical facts.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1946 – computer information.^(Etymonline)^(HTOED)

+ * 1954 – ''data processing''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1962 – ''database''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Facts or information, especially when organized for analysis or used in reasoning.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # Information in a form that a [[computer]] can process.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # Values obtained from scientific experiments.^(AHD)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[datum]]

+ * [[date]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ The American Heritage Dictionary notes that many still treat ''data'' as a plural, as the ''New York Times'' did in the headline “Data Are Elusive on the Homeless”, while others treat it as a mass noun taking a singular verb.^(AHD) The Word Origins dictionary adds that British English often treats it as singular, while Americans and Australians more often say ''the data are'', a use increasingly common in Britain.^(Cresswell 2021)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}