document

[n. dok-yuh-muh nt; v. dok-yuh-ment] /n. ˈdɒk yə mənt; v. ˈdɒk yəˌmɛnt/
noun
1.
a written or printed paper furnishing information or evidence, as a passport, deed, bill of sale, or bill of lading; a legal or official paper.
2.
any written item, as a book, article, or letter, especially of a factual or informative nature.
3.
a computer data file.
4.
Archaic. evidence; proof.
verb (used with object)
5.
to furnish with documents.
6.
to furnish with references, citations, etc., in support of statements made:
a carefully documented biography.
7.
to support by documentary evidence:
to document a case.
8.
Nautical. to provide (a vessel) with a certificate giving particulars concerning nationality, ownership, tonnage, dimensions, etc.
9.
Obsolete. to instruct.
Origin
1400-50; late Middle English (< Anglo-French) < Latin documentum example (as precedent, warning, etc.), equivalent to doc- (stem of docēre to teach) + -u- (variant of -i- -i- before labials) + -mentum -ment
Related forms
documentable
[dok-yuh-men-tuh-buh l, dok-yuh-men-] /ˈdɒk yəˌmɛn tə bəl, ˌdɒk yəˈmɛn-/ (Show IPA), adjective
documenter, noun
nondocumented, adjective, noun
redocument, verb (used with object)
well-documented, adjective
Synonyms
6. corroborate, verify, substantiate, validate.
British Dictionary definitions for document

document

noun (ˈdɒkjʊmənt)
1.
a piece of paper, booklet, etc, providing information, esp of an official or legal nature
2.
a piece of text or text and graphics stored in a computer as a file for manipulation by document processing software
3.
(archaic) evidence; proof
verb (transitive) (ˈdɒkjʊˌmɛnt)
4.
to record or report in detail, as in the press, on television, etc: the trial was well documented by the media
5.
to support (statements in a book) with citations, references, etc
6.
to support (a claim, etc) with evidence or proof
7.
to furnish (a vessel) with official documents specifying its ownership, registration, weight, dimensions, and function
Word Origin
C15: from Latin documentum a lesson, from docēre to teach
Word Origin and History for document
n.

early 15c., "teaching, instruction," from Old French document (13c.) "lesson, written evidence," from Latin documentum "example, proof, lesson," in Medieval Latin "official written instrument," from docere "to show, teach" (see doctor (n.)). Meaning "something written that provides proof or evidence" is from early 18c. Related: Documents.

v.

1640s, "to teach;" see document (n.). Meaning "to support by documentary evidence" is from 1711. Related: Documented; documenting.

document in Technology


1. Any specific type of file produced or edited by a specific application; usually capable of being printed. E.g. "Word document", "Photoshop document", etc.
2. A term used on some systems (e.g. Intermedia) for a hypertext node. It is sometimes used for a collection of nodes on related topics, possibly stored or distributed as one.
3. To write documentation on a certain piece of code.
(2003-10-25)