database

noun

da·​ta·​base ˈdā-tə-ˌbās 

ˈda-,

 also  ˈdä-

computers

: a usually large collection of data organized especially for rapid search and retrieval (as by a computer)

an online database

database transitive verb

Examples of database in a Sentence

All of our customers' information was kept in a database.

Recent Examples on the Web

Here's what to know after Elon Musk claims SSA fraud Musk has posted screenshots on X of the Social Security database ‒ purported as a DOGE discovery ‒ that lists the age ranges of Americans 100, 150, 200 and older who are in the SSA system. —Joey Garrison, USA TODAY, 21 Feb. 2025

But as independent journalist Jamie Dupree and others pointed out, someone went into the government database and changed the documents with no comment on the error — simply erasing the paper trail. —Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2025

In a win for Musk, a federal judge on Tuesday declined, at least for now, to block DOGE from firing federal employees or gaining access to certain government databases. —Erin Doherty, Axios, 20 Feb. 2025

However, most of those in the Social Security database were no longer receiving monthly payments. —Dan Perry, Newsweek, 20 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1962, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

database

noun

da·​ta·​base ˈdāt-ə-ˌbās 

ˈdat-,

 also  ˈdät-

: a collection of data that is organized especially to be used by a computer