documentation

noun

doc·​u·​men·​ta·​tion ˌdä-kyə-mən-ˈtā-shən 

-ˌmen-,

-kyü-

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: the use of historical documents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

ˌdä-kyə-mən-ˈtā-shnəl 

-shə-nᵊl

-ˌmen-

-kyü-

adjective

Synonyms

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

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 on the Web

Recreating the workspace When Dr. Hutchings died in 1903, his daughter Lida snapped photos of the space, unknowingly creating the documentation people would use about 110 years later to keep her father’s legacy alive. —Lennie Omalza, The Courier-Journal, 18 Apr. 2024

For children under the age of 14, the law will require parents to submit all relevant documentation, while children over the age of 14 would be able to submit the documentation themselves with the approval of their legal representatives. —Anna Gordon, TIME, 12 Apr. 2024

Decisions are based on meticulous documentation of scientific findings and incorporate diverse stakeholder views. —Tom Frieden, STAT, 11 Apr. 2024

Police Commissioner Yaakov Shabtai said the investigation could potentially lead to prosecutions, but for now, documentation is the primary mission. —Jake Tapper, CNN, 10 Apr. 2024

This kind of documentation was like manna for the Dominion team. —David Enrich, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2024

Alberto Toso Fei Barbara Zanon/Getty Bonafide Venetian Alberto Toso Fei comes from a long line of Murano glassmakers (the first documentation of the name Toso comes from 1351). —Maddalena Fossati, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Apr. 2024

And both the agency and its legal team vet all claims before pursuing them, making sure that your business has the appropriate documentation and that there’s no evidence that your customer’s business has already closed. —Dean Kaplan, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024

Developing standards of documentation and disclosure are essential to ensure the safety and responsibility of advanced AI. —Rebecca Finlay, Fortune, 28 Mar. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1884, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

documentation

noun

doc·​u·​men·​ta·​tion ˌdäk-yə-mən-ˈtā-shən 

-ˌmen-

1

: the providing of documents as proof

2

: evidence in the form of documents

3

: written instructions for using a computer or computer program