noun
CSV
see-ess-VEE
CSV (noun) means a plain text file format for tables, in which each line is a row and the values in that row are separated by commas. Example: “Export the customer list as a CSV and I'll load it into the database.”
noun
1
A plain text file format for tables, in which each line is a row and the values in that row are separated by commas.
"Export the customer list as a CSV and I'll load it into the database."
"The bank lets you download twelve months of transactions as a CSV."
2
An individual file in that format.
"That CSV has about forty thousand rows in it."
How to use CSV
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA simple text file holding a table, with commas between the columns.
When to use it
Everyday word in data, finance and administrative work. Written in capitals.
Memory tip
A CSV carries no formatting or formulas at all, so anything that looked styled in a spreadsheet is lost on export.
Trace the full origin ↓
Common pairings
export to CSV
import a CSV
CSV file
comma-delimited
upload the CSV
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Export the customer list as a _____ and I'll load it into the database.
Etymology
An initialism of comma-separated values.
Synonyms
View more →
comma-separated values
delimited file
flat file
data file
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a CSV and an Excel file?
A CSV holds only the raw values in a single table, as plain text. An Excel file can hold multiple sheets plus formulas, formatting, charts and colours. Excel can open and save CSVs, but saving a workbook as CSV keeps only the values on one sheet and throws the rest away.
What happens if a value in a CSV contains a comma?
The value is normally wrapped in double quotation marks so the comma inside is not read as a separator. Files that skip this convention are a common source of columns shifting and rows breaking when the file is opened.
Why do CSVs sometimes use semicolons instead of commas?
In countries where the comma is the decimal separator, using it as a column separator would be ambiguous, so semicolons are used instead. The file is still commonly called a CSV, and most software lets you choose which character to treat as the separator when opening it.
What is the meaning of CSV?
"CSV" (noun) means a plain text file format for tables, in which each line is a row and the values in that row are separated by commas.
