I. ˈdäkyəmənt noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French, from Late Latin & Latin; Late Latin documentum official paper, from Latin, lesson, example, from docēre to teach + -mentum -ment — more at docile
1. obsolete : something taught : teaching , instruction
2.
a. archaic : something (as a writing) that serves to demonstrate or prove something : proof , evidence
b. : an original or official paper relied upon as the basis, proof, or support of something
c. documents plural : the bill of lading and policy of insurance and sometimes other papers that evidence or effect the shipment of goods, their insurance, the transfer of title to the consignee, and other procedures and that are annexed to a documentary bill of exchange
d. documents plural : ship's papers
e. : a formal or official writing or personal identification : an identity card (as of a seaman)
f.
(1) : a writing (as a book, report, or letter) conveying information
(2) : a material substance (as a coin or stone) having on it a representation of the thoughts of men by means of some conventional mark or symbol
g. : documentary
h. : a publication of federal, state, or local government — chiefly in library usage
3. archaic : a piece of information : lesson ; often : a warning or admonition
II. -ˌment, -_mənt — see -ment II transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
1. obsolete : teach , school , instruct
2. : to evidence by documents : furnish documentary evidence of
carefully documenting his claims
3. : to furnish with documents
4.
a. : to furnish (a ship) with ship's papers as required by law for the manifesting of ownership and cargo
b. : to annex to (a bill of exchange) the shipment documents — see documentary bill
5.
a. : to provide with factual or substantial support for statements made or a hypothesis proposed ; especially : to equip with exact references to authoritative supporting information (as by means of footnotes or other textual annotation)
pointed out, and documented in his book, that great progress has been made in the professional study of world affairs — F.M.Hechinger
document a thesis
b. : to construct or produce (as a movie or novel) with a high proportion of details closely reproducing authentic situations or events
my desire to compose a highly documented picture of the modern world — R.P.Warren
III. noun
: a computer file usually created with an application (as a word processor) and containing information input by the user of the computer