Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense documents, present participle documenting, past tense, past participle documentedpronunciation note: The noun is pronounced (dɒkjəmənt). The verb is pronounced (dɒkjəment).
1. countable noun
A document is one or more official pieces of paper with writing on them.
The foreign ministers of the two countries signed the documents today.
...a policy document for the Labour Party conference.
The police officer wanted to see all our documents.
Synonyms: paper, form, certificate, report More Synonyms of document
2. countable noun
A document is a piece of text or graphics, for example a letter, that is stored as a file on a computer and that you can access in order to read it or change it.
[computing]
When you are finished typing, remember to save your document.
3. verb
If you document something, you make a detailed record of it in writing or on film or tape.
He wrote a book documenting his prison experiences. [VERB noun]
The effects of smoking have been well documented. [beVERB-ed]
Synonyms: support, back up, certify, verify More Synonyms of document
document in British English
noun (ˈdɒkjʊmənt)
1.
a piece of paper, booklet, etc, providing information, esp of an official or legal nature
2.
a piece of text or text and graphics stored in a computer as a file for manipulation by document processing software
3. archaic
evidence; proof
verb (ˈdɒkjʊˌmɛnt)(transitive)
4.
to record or report in detail, as in the press, on television, etc
the trial was well documented by the media
5.
to support (statements in a book) with citations, references, etc
6.
to support (a claim, etc) with evidence or proof
7.
to furnish (a vessel) with official documents specifying its ownership, registration, weight, dimensions, and function
Word origin
C15: from Latin documentum a lesson, from docēre to teach
document in American English
(ˈdɑkjumənt; ˈdɑkjəmənt; for v., ˈdɑkjuˌmɛnt; ˈdɑkjəˌmɛnt)
noun
1.
anything printed, written, etc. that contains information or is relied upon to record or prove something
2.
anything serving as proof
verb transitive
3.
to provide with a document or documents
4.
to provide (a book, pamphlet, etc.) with documents or supporting references
5.
to prove, as by reference to documents
6.
to gather and report the details of; cover or chronicle
ME & OFr < L documentum, lesson, example, proof < docere, to teach: see decent
Examples of 'document' in a sentence
document
The problems with the goalkeeper are well documented but he was not to blame for either goal.
The Sun (2017)
Without documents, officials simply took their ages on trust.
The Sun (2016)
Without documents, officials have taken their names on trust.
The Sun (2016)
The show is packed with texts, documents, photos and archives.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
The bonanza was exposed by documents filed at Companies House.
The Sun (2017)
Fund managers have to disclose the OCF in the key investor information document, which all investors receive.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Detectives have already written to the party and to a number of donors requesting documents and information.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
What we bring to our reading of a text or document affects how we read it.
Marcus J. Borg READING THE BIBLE AGAIN FOR THE FIRST TIME: Taking the Bible Seriously but Not Literally. (2001)
The language of official documents rarely catches the human imagination.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
The history of it all is well documented so just a short fact check.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The inquiry has documents detailing his view.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Now we need legal documents for legal documents for legal documents.
Christianity Today (2000)
In one documented incident soldiers shot directly into a crowd of protesters.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
The lack of a forensic examination of records documenting mobile phone activity in the area.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The thief had copied all the computer documents and files to return them.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Being able to read and spell and write letters and documents is vital.
The Sun (2010)
It contained important documents and old books.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The document claims that all of the visits from foreign locations were identified and blocked.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Over the marble fireplace there were the official framed documents granting the college its coat of arms.
John Cornwell Seminary Boy (2006)
It was well documented in the archives of medical research.
Steel, Elizabeth Coping With Sudden Hair Loss (1988)
Highly sensitive party documents detailing the list of staggering demands have been leaked to us.
The Sun (2010)
Each batch must have health certification and a legal document to verify its quality and origin.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
His diary documents one such incident in some detail.
Lisa Jardine THE CURIOUS LIFE OF ROBERT HOOKE: The Man who Measured London (2003)
It came shortly after his family had filed court documents saying that he was on life support and close to death.
The Sun (2013)
And yesterday it was confirmed in a document setting out detailed plans of the coalition Government.
The Sun (2010)
To do the latter exercise meant that the court itself had had to trawl through a large amount of documents in the file.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
Then go to your Mac and paste your text in a document.
The Sun (2016)
TAX workers panicked when documents with confidential information on families blew out of an office block window.
The Sun (2008)
In other languages
document
British English: document /ˈdɒkjʊmənt/ NOUN
A document is an official piece of paper with writing on it.
...travel documents.
American English: document
Arabic: مُسْتَنَد
Brazilian Portuguese: documento
Chinese: 文件
Croatian: dokument
Czech: dokument
Danish: dokument
Dutch: document
European Spanish: documento
Finnish: asiakirja
French: document
German: Dokument
Greek: έγγραφο
Italian: documento
Japanese: 文書
Korean: 문서
Norwegian: dokument
Polish: dokument
European Portuguese: documento
Romanian: document
Russian: документ
Latin American Spanish: documento
Swedish: dokument
Thai: เอกสาร
Turkish: belge
Ukrainian: документ
Vietnamese: tài liệu
British English: document VERB
If you document something, you make a detailed record of it in writing or on film or tape.
He wrote a book documenting his prison experiences.
American English: document
Brazilian Portuguese: documentar
Chinese: 记录
European Spanish: documentar
French: décrire
German: dokumentieren
Italian: documentare
Japanese: 記録する
Korean: 기록하다
European Portuguese: documentar
Latin American Spanish: documentar
All related terms of 'document'
document case
a flat, portable case, often of leather , for carrying papers, documents etc.
document reader
a device that reads and inputs into a computer marks and characters on a special form, as by optical or magnetic character recognition
legal document
a document concerning a legal matter ; a document drawn up by a lawyer
offer document
a document sent by a person or firm making a takeover bid to the shareholders of the target company, giving details of the offer that has been made and, usually, reasons for accepting it
policy document
a document containing a contract of insurance
source document
a document that has been or will be transcribed to a word processor or to the memory bank of a computer
document imaging
the process of converting paper documents into an electronic or digital format
consultation document
a report that is the result of a consultation process
discussion document
a document that puts forward some ideas or opinions that might form the basis of a discussion of a particular topic
registration document
a document giving identification details of a motor vehicle, including its manufacturer , date of registration , engine and chassis numbers , and owner's name
Chinese translation of 'document'
document
(nˈdɔkjumənt; vbˈdɔkjumɛnt)
n(c)
(gen) 文件 (wénjiàn) (份, fèn)
(Comput) 文档(檔) (wéndàng) (个(個), gè)
vt
记(記)录(錄) ... 事实(實) (jìlù ... shìshí)
(noun)
Definition
a piece of paper that provides an official record of something
The foreign minister signed the document today.
Synonyms
paper
a new government paper on European policy
form
You will be asked to fill in an application form.
certificate
a certificate of adoption
report
a report by the Association of University Teachers
record
Keep a record of all the payments.
testimonial
She couldn't expect him to give testimonials to her ability.
authorization
legal form
(verb)
Definition
to support (a claim) with evidence
The effects of sleeping less than eight hours a night have been well documented.
Synonyms
support
The evidence does not support the argument.
back up
certify
They have certified the document as genuine.
verify
The government has not verified any of these reports.
detail
instance
validate
The evidence has been validated by historians.
substantiate
There is little scientific evidence to substantiate the claims.
corroborate
I had access to a wide range of documents which corroborated the story.
authenticate
All the antiques have been authenticated.
give weight to
particularize
Additional synonyms
in the sense of authenticate
Definition
to establish as genuine
All the antiques have been authenticated.
Synonyms
verify,
guarantee,
warrant,
authorize,
certify,
avouch
in the sense of certificate
Definition
an official document stating the details of something such as birth, death, or completion of an academic course
a certificate of adoption
Synonyms
document,
licence,
warrant,
voucher,
diploma,
testimonial,
authorization,
credential(s)
in the sense of certify
Definition
to guarantee (that certain required standards have been met)