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information

/ˈɪnfərˌmeɪʃən/

/ɪnfəˈmeɪʃən/

IPA guide

Other forms: informations

If you're unsure of whether to buy the car, you may ask for more information about it. Information is knowledge you gain from studying, investigating, or experiencing something.

If your brother unfairly accuses you of finishing the ice cream that was in the freezer, you might respond by saying, "For your information, it was already gone when I got home!" You are conveying information to your brother, but in an annoyed and sarcastic way. Sarcastic or not, information is related to the word inform, whose Latin roots, in and form, basically mean what they sound like: "form into." When you gain information, you are forming an idea.

Definitions of information
  1. noun
    knowledge acquired through study or experience or instruction
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    types:
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    data point, datum
    an item of factual information derived from measurement or research
    acquaintance, conversance, conversancy, familiarity
    personal knowledge or information about someone or something
    fact
    a piece of information about circumstances that exist or events that have occurred
    example, illustration, instance, representative
    an item of information that is typical of a class or group
    circumstance, condition, consideration
    information that should be kept in mind when making a decision
    background, background knowledge
    information that is essential to understanding a situation or problem
    descriptor
    a piece of stored information that is used to identify an item in an information storage and retrieval system
    evidence, grounds
    your basis for belief or disbelief; knowledge on which to base belief
    predictor
    information that supports a probabilistic estimate of future events
    tip-off
    inside information that something is going to happen
    input, stimulant, stimulation, stimulus
    any stimulating information or event; acts to arouse action
    indication, meter reading, reading
    a datum about some physical state that is presented to a user by a meter or similar instrument
    case
    the actual state of things
    detail, item, point
    an isolated fact that is considered separately from the whole
    particular, specific
    a fact about some part (as opposed to general)
    general
    a fact about the whole (as opposed to particular)
    matter of fact
    a matter that is an actual fact or is demonstrable as a fact
    observation
    facts learned by observing
    reason
    a fact that logically justifies some premise or conclusion
    score
    the facts about an actual situation
    truth
    a fact that has been verified
    apology, excuse
    a poor example
    exception, outlier
    an instance that does not conform to a rule or generalization
    case in point, precedent
    an example that is used to justify similar occurrences at a later time
    quintessence
    the most typical example or representative of a type
    sample
    a small part of something intended as representative of the whole
    specimen
    an example regarded as typical of its class
    justification
    something (such as a fact or circumstance) that shows an action to be reasonable or necessary
    mitigating circumstance
    (law) a circumstance that does not exonerate a person but which reduces the penalty associated with the offense
    probable cause
    (law) evidence sufficient to warrant an arrest or search and seizure
    cogent evidence, proof
    any factual evidence that helps to establish the truth of something
    disproof, falsification, refutation
    any evidence that helps to establish the falsity of something
    lead, track, trail
    evidence pointing to a possible solution
    elicitation, evocation, induction
    stimulation that calls up (draws forth) a particular class of behaviors
    kick
    the sudden stimulation provided by strong drink (or certain drugs)
    turn-on
    something causing excitement or stimulating interest
    negative stimulation, turnoff
    something causing antagonism or loss of interest
    conditioned stimulus
    the stimulus that is the occasion for a conditioned response
    reinforcement, reinforcer, reinforcing stimulus
    (psychology) a stimulus that strengthens or weakens the behavior that produced it
    cue, discriminative stimulus
    a stimulus that provides information about what to do
    positive stimulus
    a stimulus with desirable consequences
    negative stimulus
    a stimulus with undesirable consequences
    statistic
    a datum that can be represented numerically
    symptom
    (medicine) any sensation or change in bodily function that is experienced by a patient and is associated with a particular disease
    sign
    (medicine) any objective evidence of the presence of a disorder or disease
    trivia
    obscure or miscellaneous facts about a range of subjects, especially as answers to questions in a game
    type of:
    cognition, knowledge, noesis
    the psychological result of perception and learning and reasoning
  2. noun
    a collection of facts from which conclusions may be drawn
    synonyms: data
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    types:
    accounting data
    all the data (ledgers and journals and spreadsheets) that support a financial statement; can be hard copy or machine readable
    metadata
    data about data
    raw data
    unanalyzed data; data not yet subjected to analysis
    type of:
    accumulation, aggregation, assemblage, collection
    several things grouped together or considered as a whole
  3. noun
    a message received and understood
    synonyms: info
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    ammunition
    information that can be used to attack or defend a claim or argument or viewpoint
    factoid
    something resembling a fact; unverified (often invented) information that is given credibility because it appeared in print
    misinformation
    information that is incorrect
    material
    information (data or ideas or observations) that can be used or reworked into a finished form
    details, inside information
    true confidential information
    fact
    a statement or assertion of verified information about something that is the case or has happened
    data format, data formatting, format, formatting
    the organization of information according to preset specifications (usually for computer processing)
    gen
    informal term for information
    database
    an organized body of related information
    intelligence, news, tidings, word
    information about recent and important events
    news
    informal information of any kind that is not previously known to someone
    nuts and bolts
    detailed practical information about how something works or how something can be accomplished
    intelligence, intelligence information
    secret information about an enemy (or potential enemy)
    confirmation
    information that confirms or verifies
    insider information
    important information about the plans or condition of a corporation that has not been released to the public; use for personal profit is illegal
    arcanum, secret
    information known only to a special group
    secret
    something that should remain hidden from others (especially information that is not to be passed on)
    propaganda
    information that is spread for the purpose of promoting some cause
    course of study, curriculum, program, programme, syllabus
    an integrated course of academic studies
    news
    information reported in a newspaper or news magazine
    evidence
    (law) all the means by which any alleged matter of fact whose truth is investigated at judicial trial is established or disproved
    read-out, readout
    the information displayed or recorded on an electronic device
    tabular matter, tabulation
    information set out in tabular form
    skinny
    confidential information about a topic or person
    stuff
    information in some unspecified form
    report, report card
    a written evaluation of a student's scholarship and deportment
    list, listing
    a database containing an ordered array of items (names or topics)
    computer database, electronic database, electronic information service, on-line database
    (computer science) a database that can be accessed by computers
    blowback
    misinformation resulting from the recirculation into the source country of disinformation previously planted abroad by that country's intelligence service
    disinformation
    misinformation that is deliberately disseminated in order to influence or confuse rivals (foreign enemies or business competitors etc.)
    rehash
    old material that is slightly reworked and used again
    dope, low-down, poop, the skinny
    slang terms for inside information
    book, record, record book
    a compilation of the known facts regarding something or someone
    high-level formatting
    (computer science) the format for the root directory and the file allocation tables and other basic configurations
    initialisation, initialization, low-level formatting
    (computer science) the format of sectors on the surface of a hard disk drive so that the operating system can access them and setting a starting position
    subdata base
    a subset of data in a database that are used in a specific application
    basics, rudiments
    a statement of fundamental facts or principles
    index, index number, indicant, indicator
    a number or ratio (a value on a scale of measurement) derived from a series of observed facts; can reveal relative changes as a function of time
    military intelligence
    information about the armed forces of another country that is useful in planning and conducting military policy or military operations
    good word
    good news
    latest
    the most recent news or development
    update
    news that updates your information
    reenforcement, reinforcement
    information that makes more forcible or convincing
    certification, corroboration, documentation
    confirmation that some fact or statement is true through the use of documentary evidence
    confidence
    a secret that is confided or entrusted to another
    esoterica
    secrets known only to an initiated minority
    cabala, cabbala, cabbalah, kabala, kabbala, kabbalah, qabala, qabalah
    an esoteric or occult matter resembling the Kabbalah that is traditionally secret
    open secret
    something that is supposed to be secret but is generally known
    countersign, parole, password, watchword, word
    a secret word or phrase known only to a restricted group
    trade secret
    a secret (method or device or formula) that gives a manufacturer an advantage over the competition
    agitprop
    political propaganda (especially communist propaganda) communicated via art and literature and cinema
    copy
    material suitable for a journalistic account
    crash course, crash program, crash programme
    a rapid and intense course of training or research (usually undertaken in an emergency)
    reading program
    a program designed to teach literacy skills
    degree program
    a course of study leading to an academic degree
    business news
    news about businesses and investments
    account, news report, report, story, write up
    a short account of the news
    newscast
    a broadcast of news or commentary on the news
    coverage, reportage, reporting
    the news as presented by reporters for newspapers or radio or television
    hard news
    news that deals with serious topics or events
    soft news
    news that does not deal with serious topics or events
    stop press
    late news that is inserted into the newspaper at the last minute
    exhibit
    an object or statement produced before a court of law and referred to while giving evidence
    testimony
    a solemn statement made under oath
    corpus delicti
    the body of evidence that constitute the offence; the objective proof that a crime has been committed (sometimes mistakenly thought to refer to the body of a homicide victim)
    direct evidence
    evidence (usually the testimony of a witness) directly related to the fact in dispute
    circumstantial evidence, indirect evidence
    evidence providing only a basis for inference about the fact in dispute
    corroborating evidence
    additional evidence or evidence of different kind that supports a proof already offered in a proceeding
    hearsay evidence
    evidence based on what someone has told the witness and not of direct knowledge
    state's evidence
    evidence for the prosecution in criminal proceedings
    type of:
    content, message, subject matter, substance
    what a communication that is about something is about
  4. noun
    (communication theory) a numerical measure of the uncertainty of an outcome
    “the signal contained thousands of bits of information
    synonyms: entropy, selective information
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    type of:
    information measure
    a system of measurement of information based on the probabilities of the events that convey information
  5. noun
    formal accusation of a crime
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    type of:
    accusal, accusation
    a formal charge of wrongdoing brought against a person; the act of imputing blame or guilt
Pronunciation
US

/ˈɪnfərˌmeɪʃən/

UK

/ɪnfəˈmeɪʃən/

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