[in.for.ma.tion] n (14c) 1: the communication or reception of knowledge or intelligence
2. a (1): knowledge obtained from investigation, study, or instruction (2): intelligence, news (3): facts, data b: the attribute inherent in and communicated by one of two or more alternative sequences or arrangements of something (as nucleotides in DNA or binary digits in a computer program) that produce specific effects c (1): a signal or character (as in a communication system or computer) representing data (2): something (as a message, experimental data, or a picture) which justifies change in a construct (as a plan or theory) that represents physical or mental experience or another construct d: a quantitative measure of the content of information; specif: a numerical quantity that measures the uncertainty in the outcome of an experiment to be performed
3: the act of informing against a person
4: a formal accusation of a crime made by a prosecuting officer as distinguished from an indictment presented by a grand jury -- in.for.ma.tion.al adj -- in.for.ma.tion.al.ly adv