Record

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /ˈɹɛk.ɔːd/

Definitions

1. A documented account of events, information, or achievements preserved for future reference
2. A compilation of data or events that may be saved in various formats for later retrieval or examination
3. An official account or representation of occurrences, often cataloged for historical or legal purposes

Etymology: Most English speakers would guess that "record" traces back to a heart, and that is essentially what happened. Its deepest root is a Proto-Indo-European word for "heart" (*ḱerd-), which passed into Latin as "cor" (heart, mind). From "cor" the Romans built "recordari," meaning to remember or call back to mind, literally to pass something back through the heart or memory. The Latin verb reached Old French as "recorder," and English borrowed it in the Middle Ages as "recorde," which meant to remember, to recite aloud, or to be called to witness. The noun grew out of that sense of calling something to mind. A record became a thing kept in memory, then a written or official account preserved so that it could be consulted later. The sense of a disc carrying sound, or of a best achievement, came much later and grew from the same idea of something fixed for future reference.

Synonyms: document, register, account

Antonyms: erase, delete