big data

American

noun

(used with a singular or plural verb)

Computers. data sets, typically consisting of billions or trillions of records, that are so vast and complex that they require new and powerful computational resources to process.

Supercomputers can analyze big data to create models of global climate change.

big data British

plural noun

computing data held in such large amounts that it can be difficult to process

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of big data

First recorded in 1975–80, for an earlier sense

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Newly formed regional chapters and working groups are scaling up exposomics research by combining A.I., advanced sensor technology, metabolomics, and big data analytics.

From Science Daily

There’s an evergreen lesson today for Wall Street: The market’s first move on a big data release isn’t always the last one.

From Barron's

The Dow—a group of 30 companies often seen as an anachronism in an era of index investing and big data—doesn’t capture the full force of the current boom.

From The Wall Street Journal

Presidents and their top economic advisers routinely get an advance look at big data releases, like the Labor Department’s December jobs report, which was made public Friday morning at 8:30 a.m.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023