datum

noun

da·​tum ˈdā-təm How to pronounce datum (audio) ˈda- How to pronounce datum (audio)
ˈdä-
1
plural data ˈdā-tə How to pronounce datum (audio) ˈda- How to pronounce datum (audio)
also
ˈdä- How to pronounce datum (audio)
: something given or admitted especially as a basis for reasoning or inference
an important historical datum
This enormous expense—and considerable risk—to pick up a datum or two about geriatrics?Charles Krauthammer
2
plural datums, mathematics : something used as a basis for calculating or measuring
measuring the distance between datum points
… make things more efficient for those of us whose work requires a time datum.Robert Steinbrunn
Is data singular or plural?: Usage Guide

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 (such as these, many, a few) but not cardinal numbers, and serving as a referent for plural pronouns (such as they, them); and as an abstract mass noun (like information), taking a singular verb and singular modifiers (such 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.

Examples of datum in a Sentence

let's begin our discussion of this matter with a datum from actual experience
Recent Examples on the Web Its working-age population now stands at more than 900 million, according to 2021 data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. Rhea Mogul, CNN, 16 Mar. 2024 Restaurant openings last year saw a nearly 2 percent bump over 2019, according to data from Yelp, which tracks restaurant openings by calculating new listings on its site. Abha Bhattarai, Washington Post, 16 Mar. 2024 The team is still processing data for lemon trees and alfalfa. The Arizona Republic, 15 Mar. 2024 Lyme disease is a fast-growing problem in the United States, where approximately 476,000 people are diagnosed and treated for it each year, according to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Emily Mullin, WIRED, 15 Mar. 2024 According to Food and Drug Administration (FDA) data from 2023, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea were the most common gastrointestinal symptoms reported by semaglutide users, followed by constipation and abdominal pain. Kristen Fischer, Health, 15 Mar. 2024 Yet data from the recent Lunar New Year holiday suggest that new visa-free initiatives from nearby countries like Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand could be encouraging Chinese tourists to travel internationally again. Lionel Lim, Fortune Asia, 15 Mar. 2024 Similarly, data from news outlets is seen as helpful for LLMs which want to have real-time information. Alex Weprin, The Hollywood Reporter, 15 Mar. 2024 Despite official indications that China's yearslong anti-monopoly and data security crackdowns on technology companies have ended, entrepreneurs are jittery. Dake Kang and Elaine Kurtenbach, Quartz, 4 Mar. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'datum.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin, from neuter of datus

First Known Use

1646, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of datum was in 1646

Dictionary Entries Near datum

Cite this Entry

“Datum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/datum. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

datum

noun
da·​tum ˈdāt-əm How to pronounce datum (audio) ˈdat- How to pronounce datum (audio)
ˈdät-
plural data -ə How to pronounce datum (audio) or datums
: something used as a basis for reasoning or arriving at a conclusion or for calculating or measuring

More from Merriam-Webster on datum

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