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

Investigators can use certain databases to look for a match with a suspect or that person's relatives. —Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 22 Feb. 2026

The sponsors said the vast majority of Floridians would have their citizenship checked seamlessly by matching the voter registration database with REAL ID records maintained by the Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, the state driver license agency. —Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 21 Feb. 2026

However, the profile did not match anyone whose DNA was available for comparison in law enforcement databases at the time, according to the release, and the investigation came to a halt again. —Maria Aguilar Prieto, CNN Money, 21 Feb. 2026

In Waterfield’s view, the single biggest obstacle for genetic genealogy is the cost of lab work and rising upload fees associated with the DNA databases relied upon by investigators. —Tim Stelloh, NBC news, 21 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1962, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for database

• aerospace
• anatase
• anyplace
• commonplace
• cyberspace
• diabase
• diastase
• dnase
• elastase
• fireplace
• hyperspace
• interface

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