documentation

C1 Topic:Abstract Ideas

US /ˌdɑkjəmɛnˈteɪʃən/ UK /ˌdɒkjʊmɛnˈteɪʃən/ See IPA manual

Freq #16523

Meanings

1

noun
Written records or papers that prove or support something.

You will need documentation to confirm your identity and address.
2

noun
Written instructions that explain how a machine or piece of software works.

The software comes with clear documentation for new users.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · written records or papers... certification support

2 noun · written instructions that... software documentation

Word family

Forms documentations

Derived forms docdocumentationale-documentationoverdocumentationphotodocumentationredocumentationteledocumentation

Appears in

Phrases (1)

See all

software documentation
written information explaining how computer programs work or are used

Noun + noun

Etymology

From document + -ation or Medieval Latin documentātio.

documentātio la-med

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Abstract Ideas Word Formation & Derivatives

External links

# documentation

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C1
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˌdɑkjəmɛnˈteɪʃən/
**IPA (UK):** /ˌdɒkjʊmɛnˈteɪʃən/
**Frequency rank:** 16523

## Meanings
1. Written records or papers that prove or support something.
2. Written instructions that explain how a machine or piece of software works.

## Examples
- You will need documentation to confirm your identity and address.
- The software comes with clear documentation for new users.

## Derived Forms
- doc
- documentational
- e-documentation
- overdocumentation
- photodocumentation
- redocumentation
- teledocumentation

## Related Forms
- document

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: documentātio

## Etymology
From document + -ation or Medieval Latin documentātio.

## AI Etymology
Documentation comes from document + -ation or Medieval Latin documentātio. The historical chain includes documentātio (Medieval Latin). The surrounding word family includes derived forms such as doc, documentational, e-documentation, and overdocumentation and related forms such as document. In present use it covers written records or papers that prove or support something and written instructions that explain how a machine or piece of software works.

## Topics
- Abstract Ideas
- Word Formation & Derivatives

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