datum

noun

da·tum | \ ˈdā-təm

, ˈda-

, ˈdä-\

Definition of datum

1 plural data\ ˈdā-tə

, ˈda-

also ˈdä-

\ : 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

Synonyms Is data singular or plural?: Usage Guide More Example Sentences Learn More about datum

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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

The list is made using the most recent data on births from the Social Security Administration, along with the most searched for names on their website. — Sophia Caraballo, Woman's Day, "The Most Popular Baby Names of 2019, So Far," 9 Apr. 2019 Number one on Washington’s list of concerns however is the increasingly close relationship between Turkey and Russia, and the possibility that Russia could get its hands on classified F-35 data. — Kyle Mizokami, Popular Mechanics, "The U.S. Is Pausing Deliveries of F-35 Equipment to Turkey," 3 Apr. 2019 According to recent data from Pinterest, godparent proposals were one of the biggest trends in 2018, with user searches up by more than 152 percent. — Marris Adikwu, Glamour, ""Will You Be My...Godparent?" How a Religious Rite of Passage Swept Social Media," 2 Apr. 2019 Bill ClarkGetty Images Her goal is to develop a slate of women candidates, based on metrics such as fundraising, campaign budget, strategy, and district data, and offer fundraising and strategic assistance early to help these women win. — Rebecca Gale, Marie Claire, "Elise Stefanik Is Going to Bring Women Back to the GOP," 25 Mar. 2019 There actually has been no proven data that antibacterial soaps are better at preventing illness than plain soap and water. — Lindsey Campbell, House Beautiful, "19 Dangerous Household Items You Should Quit Using Immediately," 15 Feb. 2019 The vast majority of abortions—over 90 percent—happen within the first 13 weeks, according to the most recent data available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). — Sarah Jacoby, SELF, "What President Trump Got Wrong About Abortion in His State of the Union Address," 6 Feb. 2019 Today, Airbnb released a report of their trending ski destinations, based on internal data for year over year booking growth. — Elise Taylor, Vogue, "These Ski Destinations Are on the Rise, According to Airbnb," 16 Jan. 2019 Based on data compiled by NPR, women made up roughly 41 percent of those confirmed under Obama. — Li Zhou, Vox, "Trump has gotten 66 judges confirmed this year. In his second year, Obama had gotten 49.," 27 Dec. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'datum.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.