noun
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a systematized collection of data that can be accessed immediately and manipulated by a data-processing system for a specific purpose
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informal any large store of information
a database of knowledge
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of database
Explanation
A database is an organized body of information. Libraries have lots of databases to help you find books, articles, or information. Looking for some information? You might need to check a database, probably at the library or online. A database collects a bunch of information and resources, usually on a common subject. Some databases feature newspapers; others are related to legal issues. The police use databases to track criminals, and the government uses databases to track terrorists. Anywhere there's information being collected and accessed, there's probably a database keeping track of it all.
Vocabulary lists containing database
Computer Science and Technology - Introductory
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Computer Science and Technology - Middle School
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Computer Science and Technology - High School
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The initiative "venezuelatebusca.com," a database launched to help find friends and relatives lost since the earthquakes, reports more than 46,000 missing.
From Barron's • Jun. 30, 2026
After making a detailed database of our doubles, I join multiple swap groups on Facebook.
From BBC • Jun. 27, 2026
Another 11 are under construction in China, according to an International Atomic Energy Agency database.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 23, 2026
Anything over $5,000 and the politician has to report it to the California Fair Political Practices Commission, which keeps a public database.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 20, 2026
He played with the numbers some more, looked at the order of events, texts, and calls, which he’d finally gotten straight in the database.
From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
