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5 entries found for data.
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datadatumdata bankdata processingdata structure
Main Entry: da·ta
Pronunciation: 'dA-t&, 'da- also 'dä-
Function: noun plural but singular or plural in construction Usage: often attributive
Etymology: Latin, plural of datum
1 : factual information (as measurements or statistics) used as a basis for reasoning, discussion, or calculation
2 : information output by a sensing device or organ that includes both useful and irrelevant or redundant information and must be processed to be meaningful
3 : information in numerical form that can be digitally transmitted or processed
usage
Data leads a life of its own quite independent of datum, of which it was originally the plural. It occurs in two constructions: as a plural noun (like earnings), taking a plural verb and plural modifiers (as these, many, a few) but not cardinal numbers, and serving as a referent for plural pronouns (as they, them); and as an abstract mass noun (like information), taking a singular verb and singular modifiers (as this, much, little), and being referred to by a singular pronoun (it). Both constructions are standard. The plural construction is more common in print, evidently because the house style of several publishers mandates it.
Coin toss.