document

The word “document” means a piece of written, printed, or electronic material that provides information or serves as proof. In plain terms, a written or digital record, or the act of recording facts in detail.

“Document” is pronounced DOK-yuu-muhnt (/ˈdɑkjʊmənt/ in IPA).

Here is “document” used in a sentence: “Please sign the document before you leave.”

Depending on how it is used, “document” can be a noun and a verb.

The word “document” comes from Latin. From Latin documentum, "lesson" or "proof," from docere, "to teach.".

“Document” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.

“Document” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: a piece of written, printed, or electronic material that provides information or serves as proof.

Documents come in many forms. There are legal documents like contracts and deeds, official ones such as passports and certificates, and business documents including reports, invoices, and memos. Personal documents cover letters and records. Today many exist electronically as files — PDFs, spreadsheets, and word-processor files — as well as on paper.

A document is a single piece of written, printed, or electronic material that carries information. A file is broader: in computing it is any named unit of stored data, which might be a document, an image, a video, or a program. Every digital document is a file, but not every file is a document.

An official document is issued or recognised by an authority and can serve as proof, such as a birth certificate, contract, or licence. It usually carries identifying details, dates, signatures, or stamps that establish its authenticity. This evidential role is what separates official documents from ordinary notes or informal writing.