Meanings
error unknown tag plural data · error unknown tag plural datums
- Something known or assumed as fact, and is made the basis of reasoning or inference which an intellectual system of any sort (such as knowledge or theoretical framework) is constructed.
a datum of experience
1 more example
given this datum, it follows that
- singularSingular of data: A single recorded phenomenon, especially obtained by scientific work.
Holonym: data set
Synonyms: data point
- businessA point, line, plane, or surface with reference to which positions (such as elevations) are measured or indicated. (Examples include a permanent benchmark in leveling or mean sea level in a topographical survey).
A geodetic datum is sometimes also called a benchmark.
4 more examples
GD&T tells us that the center of a bolt circle is in fact defined by the locations of the holes themselves, as each is a datum.
In a strict sense, a tidal datum can be understood as the reference plane (or surface) to which the height of a predicted tide is referred.[…]Sounding and chart datums are low water datums, that is, they refer to the level of the water surface at low tide. Nonetheless, there are also datums based on high water levels.[…]These two different datums may be included in the broader category of vertical datums, which comprises any plane or surface used as a reference to measure vertical distances (such as depths, drying features, heights on shore, etc.).
2000, Nuno Sergio Marques Antunes, “The Importance of the Tidal Datum in the Definition of Maritime Limits and Boundaries”, in Maritime Briefing, volume 2, number 7, International Boundaries Research Unit, University of Durham, page 5Datums are another important map aspect related to projection. A datum provides a base reference for measuring locations on Earth's surface.
2007, Roger F Tomlinson, Thinking about GIS: geographic information system planning for managersFor horizontal measurements [on the Earth], we fix a mathematical body of Earth in space using a Cartesian coordinate system. After that, a separate coordinate system is created over the surface of this body to generate horizontal coordinates. A mathematical earth body fixed in space makes up the horizontal datum.
2012, Yong-Qi Chen, Yuk-Cheung Lee, chapter 2.3, in Geographical Data Acquisition - nauticalA floating reference point, or SLDMB, used to evaluate surface currents in a body of water, and often employed by coastal search and rescue.
present singular third person datums · participle present datuming · participle past datumed · past datumed
- To provide missing data points by using a mathematical model to extrapolate values that are outside the range of a measuring device.
On the left the stacking velocity functions are datumed to sea level and show great disparity.
1998, Stuart Fagin, Model-based Depth Imaging, →ISBN, page 1642 more examples
Removing the effects of any period of deformation by datuming or flattening selective reflection horizons should restore the structure prior to the datumed horizon, or the amount of deformation above the datumed horizon.
1982, Paul M. Tucker, Pitfalls Revisited - Issue 3, →ISBN, page 6On the other hand, if we have a sufficiently accurate near-surface velocity model, we may apply wavefield datuming to convert the raw data into new data as if they were recorded along a datum below the near surface (Box 2.3).
2014, Hua-Wei Zhou -, Practical Seismic Data Analysis, →ISBN, page 62
Synonyms & antonyms
nounSingular of data: A single recorded phenomenon, especially obtained by scientific work.
More synonyms by meaning
nounan item of factual information derived from measurement or research
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*deh₃-redup.
- Proto-Indo-European*dédeh₃ti
- Proto-Italic*didō
- Latindō
- Latindatus
- Latindatum
- Englishdatum
Learned borrowing from Latin datum, a nominalization of datus, perfect passive participle of dō, from Proto-Italic *didō, from Proto-Indo-European *dédeh₃ti, reduplication of *deh₃-, or from *-ti. Doublet of die.
More words from Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian данна, изходна величина
- данна (danna)single piece of information
- изходна величина (izhodna veličina)single piece of information
Catalan dada
- dadasingle piece of information
Czech údaj
- údajsingle piece of information
Finnish tieto
- tietosingle piece of information
French donnée
- donnéesingle piece of information
German Fakt, Faktum
- Faktsingle piece of information
- Faktumsingle piece of information
- Informationseinheitsingle piece of information
Greek δεδομένο
- δεδομένο (dedoméno)single piece of information
Hindi दत्त, प्रदत्त
- दत्त (datt)single piece of information
- प्रदत्त (pradatt)single piece of information
Irish sonra
- sonrasingle piece of information
Italian dato
- datosingle piece of information
Japanese データ
- データ (dēta)single piece of information
Polish dana
- danasingle piece of information
Portuguese dado
- dadosingle piece of information
Russian элеме́нт данных, едини́ца данных
- элеме́нт данных (elemént dannyx)single piece of information
- едини́ца данных (jediníca dannyx)single piece of information
Slovak údaj
- údajsingle piece of information
Spanish dato
- datosingle piece of information
Tamil தரவு
- தரவு (taravu)single piece of information
Turkish veri
- verisingle piece of information
Ukrainian Датум
- Датумsingle piece of information
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with datum
All rhymes →Cite this entry
datum. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/datum
“datum.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/datum. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “datum,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/datum.
Source: datum on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.