What is a Datum? Definition, Examples, and Uses

A datum (plural: data) is a single piece of information or a fact that is used as a basis for reasoning, calculation, or decision-making. In other words, it is a single point of data that can be used to represent a particular value or characteristic of something.

For example, the date of birth, height, weight, and address of a person are all individual datum points that can be used to describe that person's characteristics. Similarly, the temperature reading, humidity level, and atmospheric pressure at a particular location and time are all datum points that can be used to describe the weather conditions at that place and time.

The word "datum" is often used in scientific and technical contexts to refer to a single piece of data that has been collected or measured as part of an experiment or study. It is also sometimes used more broadly to refer to any piece of information that is relevant to a particular topic or issue.