database

American  

[dey-tuh-beys] / ˈdeɪ təˌbeɪs /

Or data-base,

noun

1. a comprehensive collection of related data organized for convenient access, generally in a computer.

2. data bank.

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database British  

/ ˈdeɪtəˌbeɪs /

noun

1. a systematized collection of data that can be accessed immediately and manipulated by a data-processing system for a specific purpose

2. informal any large store of information

   a database of knowledge

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database Scientific  

/ dā′tə-bās′,dăt′ə- /

1. A collection of data arranged for ease and speed of search and retrieval by a computer.

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database Cultural  

1. A set of data grouped together in one location in (or accessible by) a computer. A computerized database has been likened to an electronic filing cabinet of information arranged for easy access or for a specific purpose.

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Etymology

Origin of database

First recorded in 1965–70; data + base ¹

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.

Example Sentences

It’s illegal for officers to access that database for non-official reasons.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026

Last year it registered trademarks in 12 different product categories in Australia, according to a government intellectual property database.

From BBC • Apr. 13, 2026

This information, too, is fed into the resort’s database.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

Andrew Carle, a consultant who runs UniversityRetirementCommunities.com, a database of college retirement communities, notes that colleges have lost 3 million traditional students in the last decade.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 10, 2026

Typing my social security number and not finding my name in the database that evening was a weird sort of relief.

From "They Both Die at the End" by Adam Silvera