datum

CEFRC1

/ˈdeɪtəm/

noun · verb

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

01
noun
A single piece of information or fact.
02
noun
Extra detail
A 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).

Examples

A tide gauge measures changes in sea level relative to a datum (a height reference).
Each singular datum was carefully analyzed by the research team.

At a glance

Sits at C1 on the CEFR scale

Senses: 5
Parts of speech: 2
Citations: 5
Synonyms: 1

Also pronounced

/ˈdætəm/

Deep Dive

noun

Extra meanings

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 floating reference point, or SLDMB, used to evaluate surface currents in a body of water, and often employed by coastal search and rescue.

verb

Extra meaning

To provide missing data points by using a mathematical model to extrapolate values that are outside the range of a measuring device.

More examples

In context

The singular of 'data' is 'datum'.
given this datum, it follows that
a datum of experience

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

Each blank is recorded separately in the log.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Citations

The word in print, with each source given in full.

Datums 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 managers
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 5
For 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
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 6
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 164

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Origin

noun

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.

Deep Dive

noun

verb

More examples

Related

Quick test

Each blank— is recorded separately in the log.

Nearby

Origin

noun

Each blank is recorded separately in the log.