documentation

play

noun doc·u·men·ta·tion \ -mən-ˈtā-shən , -ˌmen- \

Definition of documentation

1 :the act or an instance of furnishing or authenticating with documents

2 a :the provision of documents in substantiation; also :documentary evidence

b (1) :the use of historical documents

(2) :conformity to historical or objective facts

(3) :the provision of footnotes, appendices, or addenda referring to or containing documentary evidence

3 :information science

4 :the usually printed instructions, comments, and information for using a particular piece or system of computer software or hardware

—

documentational

play \-shnəl, -shə-nᵊl\ adjective

See documentation defined for English-language learners

See documentation defined for kids

Examples of documentation in a Sentence

You cannot visit the country unless you have the proper documentation.
Keep your receipts as documentation of your purchases.
Can you provide documentation of the claims you're making?
The program's documentation is poorly written.

Recent Examples of documentation from the Web

Once everyone is in place, the safety organization will have to go through a formal handoff process with the FTA, which will require documentation, vetting and in-person assessments.

— martine powers, Washington Post, "Trump signs resolution to improve safety at Metro," 22 Aug. 2017
The shift has left immigrants who entered the country without documentation, like Raxcaco, unsure of what their future will be.

— christopher harress, AL.com, "Trapped by a search for freedom, the life of an Alabama refugee," 15 Aug. 2017
Schemel said the district turned in the proper documentation and sent the state department a few questions, but haven't heard back yet.

— emma kate fittes, Indianapolis Star, "Westfield Washington school caught in ISTEP mix-up," 18 July 2017
No information was provided on what type of opposition documentation might be provided, and neither Mitchell nor Avram were available for comment.

— erin hegarty, Naperville Sun, "Nichols Library developer given 30 more days in landmark request," 8 July 2017
To record the barn and its historical significance prior to taking it down, the city will complete historic survey documentation that includes photographs and building history.

— sheldon s. shafer, The Courier-Journal, "Historic barn at Creason Park to be taken down," 7 July 2017
Although much of the documentation about Project Mogul has now been declassified, Launius says that civilian access to information failed to stop the lure of extraterrestrial life.

— donovan webster, Smithsonian, "In 1947, A High-Altitude Balloon Crash Landed in Roswell. The Aliens Never Left," 6 July 2017
While banks and warehouses have taken steps to limit counterfeiting since then, the reliance on paper documentation means the business remains inherently risky, Barlow said.

— mark burton, Bloomberg.com, "Metals Trading Has a Paper Fraud Problem," 3 July 2017
Follow-up documentation in the path of tornadoes is also an important focus for Seimon and his team.

— National Geographic, "Storm Chaser Video Reveals Devastating Tornadoes," 30 June 2017

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

First Known Use of documentation

1884

documentation Synonyms

Synonyms

attestation, confirmation, corroboration, proof, evidence, substantiation, testament, testimonial, testimony, validation, voucher, witness

Antonyms

disproof

Related Words

(the) goods; certificate, document, exhibit; demonstration, illustration; authentication, identification, manifestation, verification

Near Antonyms

rebuttal, refutation; accusation, allegation, charge; assumption, conjecture, guess, presumption, surmise, suspicion

DOCUMENTATION Defined for English Language Learners

documentation

play

noun

Definition of documentation for English Language Learners

: the documents, records, etc., that are used to prove something or make something official
: written instructions for using a computer or computer program

Learn More about documentation

See words that rhyme with documentation Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for documentation Spanish Central: Translation of documentation Nglish: Translation of documentation for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of documentation for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about documentation

Seen and Heard

What made you want to look up documentation? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).

show

documentation

Definition of documentation

documentational

Examples of documentation in a Sentence

Recent Examples of documentation from the Web

First Known Use of documentation

documentation Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Words

Near Antonyms

DOCUMENTATION Defined for English Language Learners

documentation

Definition of documentation for English Language Learners

Learn More about documentation

Seen and Heard

WORD OF THE DAY

holus-bolus

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Test Your Vocabulary

Words at Play

Silent Letters

'So Long': A Common But Mysterious Goodbye

"Immune to" or "Immune from"?

What's Going On With 'Nonplussed'?

Ask the Editors

Words of the Year: 1066

How Often Is 'Biweekly'?

Irregardless

Weird Plurals

Word Games

Challenging Vocabulary Quiz Returns!

Name that Color!

Spell It

SCRABBLE® Sprint

Every Letter Is Silent, Sometimes

'So Long': A Common But Mysterious Goodbye

Trending: 'Bodega' Startup Draws Criticism, Mockery

Challenging Vocabulary Quiz Returns!

Words of the Year: 1066

documentation

Definition of documentation

documentational

From the M-W Editors

Examples of documentation in a Sentence

Recent Examples of documentation from the Web

First Known Use of documentation

documentation Synonyms

Synonyms

Antonyms

Related Words

Near Antonyms

DOCUMENTATION Defined for English Language Learners

documentation

Definition of documentation for English Language Learners

Learn More about documentation

Seen and Heard

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Words at Play

Ask the Editors

Word Games

Every Letter Is Silent, Sometimes

'So Long': A Common But Mysterious Goodbye

Trending: 'Bodega' Startup Draws Criticism, Mockery

Challenging Vocabulary Quiz Returns!

Words of the Year: 1066