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noun doc·u·ment \ ˈdä-kyə-mənt , -kyü- \

Definition of document

1 law

a archaic :proof, evidence

b :an original or official paper relied on as the basis, proof, or support of something

c :something (such as a photograph or a recording) that serves as evidence or proof

2 a :a writing conveying information

financial documents

historical documents

a classified document that was leaked to the media

b :a material substance (such as a coin or stone) having on it a representation of thoughts by means of some conventional mark or symbol

c :documentary

3 :a computer file containing information input by a computer user and usually created with an application (such as a spreadsheet or word processor)

create a new document

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documental

play \ˌdä-kyə-ˈmen-tᵊl, -kyü-\ adjective

See document defined for English-language learners

See document defined for kids

Examples of document in a Sentence

It is important to keep all of your financial documents in a safe place.
An important classified document has been leaked to the media.
creating a new document on your computer
I lost the document when the hard drive crashed.

Recent Examples of document from the Web

Then, a White House official said earlier this month that September would see the release of a new tax document that would provide at least some additional detail.

— sahil kapur, Bloomberg.com, "GOP Leaders Don’t Expect White House Tax-Plan Details," 24 Aug. 2017
But the document, which has no title page, is scores of pages shorter than a standard NIOSH report and has none of its key elements.

— mike hendricks and matt campbell, kansascity, "Federal report on death of KC firefighters out on Thursday, fire department says," 23 Aug. 2017
Now numerous companies offer the service, including Comcast, so that residents and business owners can access documents in the cloud even if their facilities or computers are damaged during a storm.

— nancy dahlberg, miamiherald, "We’re all teched up if the Big One strikes," 22 Aug. 2017
A document prepared by Buncich and one of his defense attorneys showed the percentage each tow company got of jobs from 2012 to 2016.

— Post-Tribune, "Expert: Defendant taking the stand has benefits, drawbacks," 18 Aug. 2017
Testimony, as well as court documents and public records, tell part of the story of Burgett’s life.

— kevin grasha, Cincinnati.com, "The bizarre case of a mom who lied about being a doctor, her son's cancer," 18 Aug. 2017
The individual actually was an undercover Harford County detective posing as a teenager on the Internet, according to court documents.

— aegis staff report, The Aegis, "Harford sex offender gets 10 years for trying to coerce minor to have sex," 18 Aug. 2017
Every resident owned shares in the neighborhood and it was racially restricted to whites only, according to city documents.

— john diedrich, jsonline.com, "'No face, no case': How one man tried to permanently silence the witnesses to his crimes," 18 Aug. 2017
However, documents obtained by the Post show that the hospital was in tens of thousands of debt, and that the agreement between the hospital and the oxygen supplier ran out about a week before the shortage.

— lilian min, Cosmopolitan, "At Least 30 Children Die When Their Hospital Was Cut Off Of Oxygen," 14 Aug. 2017

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

Origin and Etymology of document

Middle English, precept, teaching, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin & Latin; Late Latin documentum official paper, from Latin, lesson, proof, from docēre to teach — more at docile

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 15th century

See Words from the same year

document Synonyms

Synonyms

blank, form, paper

Related Words

instrument, writ; filing; sheet

document

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verb doc·u·ment \ ˈdä-kyə-ˌment \

Definition of document

transitive verb

1 :to furnish documentary evidence of

documenting their claims

documenting gorillas in their natural habitat

2 :to furnish with documents

3 a :to provide with factual or substantial support for statements made or a hypothesis proposed

charges that were well documented

document your claim

; especially :to equip with exact references (see ¹reference 3b) to authoritative supporting information (as by means of footnotes)

failed to adequately document your sources

b (1) :to construct or produce (something, such as a movie or novel) with authentic situations or events

(2) :to portray realistically

documents the challenges of being a single parent

4 nautical :to furnish (a ship) with ship's papers

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documentable

play \-ˌmen-tə-bəl, ˌdä-kyə-ˈ, -kyü-\ adjective

—

documenter

play \ˈdä-kyə-ˌmen-tər\ noun

See document defined for English-language learners

Examples of document in a Sentence

Her study was the first to document this type of behavior in gorillas.
He wrote a book documenting their struggle.
Can you document the claims you're making?
The charges are well documented.

Recent Examples of document from the Web

The court documents outline how Lee allegedly told authorities the operation worked: Soskin hired a man for $5,000 per trip to drive a trailer to California to purchase marijuana, and Soskin and the driver made trips every five weeks.

— robert mccoppin, McHenry County, "Authorities, banks both look to seize McHenry County mansion where huge pot bust took place," 30 Aug. 2017
Investigators with the Forensic Services Unit also responded to document the scene and collect evidence, according to the Facebook post.

— erika butler, The Aegis, "Harford County Detention Center inmate dies at hospital," 28 Aug. 2017
The Rigging Doctor has a YouTube channel, website/blog and Instagram, documenting the Benavents' adventures at sea.

— andrew michaels, Howard County Times, "Husband, wife to sail Atlantic during yearlong voyage," 24 Aug. 2017
That has been well-documented, especially how much the Rangers’ offense has relied on homers to score runs.

— stefan stevenson, star-telegram, "Rangers, Mets each homer 3 times but only Mets go home happy," 8 Aug. 2017
In June, the organization documented 4,084 such lynchings in 12 Southern states between the end of Reconstruction and 1950—at least 800 cases more than the states had previously claimed.

— meilan solly, Smithsonian, "Brooklyn Museum’s ‘Legacy of Lynching’ Exhibition Confronts Racial Terror," 7 Aug. 2017
Luckily for us, there are plenty of photos documenting all of the sweetness that ensued.

— lauren alexis fisher, Harper's BAZAAR, "These Photos of Prince Harry Playing With Kids Are Here To Make Your Week," 28 July 2017
Almost none of the participants had documented their wishes in the six months before the study.

— kellen browning, Kaiser Health News, "Jump-Starting Hard Conversations As The End Nears," 25 July 2017
Decades Of Misconduct And Beating The Law The report also documents RKelly’s long history of predatorial behavior towards young black women, citing numerous cases and complaints.

— paula rogo, Essence.com, "7 Things We Learned About R Kelly From Buzzfeed's Article On His Secret 'Cult'," 17 July 2017

Origin and Etymology of document

see ¹document

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1711

See Words from the same year

document Synonyms

Synonyms

demonstrate, prove, establish, substantiate, validate

Antonyms

disprove, rebut, refute

Related Words

back (up), buttress, circumstantiate, corroborate; evidence, evince, record, support, uphold, witness; adduce, attest, authenticate, certify, identify; confirm, sustain, verify, vouch; clinch, nail, settle; confess, depose, testify

Near Antonyms

challenge, dispute, object; allege, assume, conjecture, guess, presume, surmise, suspect

DOCUMENT Defined for English Language Learners

document

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noun

Definition of document for English Language Learners

: an official paper that gives information about something or that is used as proof of something
: a computer file that contains text that you have written

document

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verb

Definition of document for English Language Learners

: to create a record of (something) through writing, film, photography, etc.
: to prove (something) by using usually written evidence

DOCUMENT Defined for Kids

document

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noun doc·u·ment \ ˈdä-kyə-mənt \

Definition of document for Students

1 :a written or printed paper that gives information about or proof of something

Your birth certificate is a legal document.

2 :a computer file containing data entered by a user

document

verb

Definition of document for Students

documented; documenting

1 :to record (as on paper or in film) the details about

Scientists documented the medical study.

2 :to prove through usually written records Can you document what you are claiming?

Law Dictionary

document

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noun doc·u·ment \ ˈdä-kyə-mənt \

legal Definition of document

1 :a writing (as a deed or lease) conveying information — see also instrument

2 a :something (as a writing, photograph, or recording) that may be used as evidence

b :an official paper (as a license) relied on as the basis, proof, or support of something (as a right or privilege)

document

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transitive verb doc·u·ment \ ˈdä-kyə-ˌment \

legal Definition of document

1 a :to furnish documentary evidence of

b :to provide with exact references to authoritative supporting information

2 :to furnish (as a ship) with documents (as ship's papers)

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DOCUMENT Defined for English Language Learners

document

Definition of document for English Language Learners

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Definition of document for English Language Learners

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Definition of document for Students

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