Infotech

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A field of study and industry focused on the development, use, and management of computer systems, software, and telecommunications to process and distribute information ; tools, techniques, and services related to computing and data communication ; the sector encompassing technologies involved in computerized information handling and exchange
2. The domain concerning the collection, storage, transmission, and protection of digital data and computer systems ; practical application and management of hardware, software, networks, and databases for efficient information handling ; the discipline and industry based on technologies that facilitate automated data processing and communication
3. A branch of engineering and business focused on designing, implementing, and supporting systems and software for data processing and communication ; the array of methods and technologies applied to computer-based information management ; the professional field involving the study and application of computing and telecommunication technologies for information purposes

Etymology: "Infotech" is a clipped compound, formed by joining the first part of "information" with the first part of "technology." The "info" half traces back to Latin "informatio," an outline or sketch, and the "tech" half comes from Greek "tekhnē," meaning craft or skill. Neither piece was invented for this word; it is simply a shortened pairing of two existing terms. The result is a blend of a familiar Latin-derived word and a Greek-derived one, both trimmed to save syllables. Clipping of this kind is common in modern English, where compounds such as "sitcom" and "mobo" follow the same pattern of shortening each element and fusing them. The word is a noun meaning computer information technology, the field concerned with the storage, processing and transmission of data through computing systems.

Synonyms: information technology, IT, computing