metadata

Definition

Data about data—the informational equivalent of a file's biography, telling you who created it, when, how, and probably judging your file naming conventions. It's the invisible post-it notes attached to every digital thing, containing all those details you never think about until a lawyer asks for it in discovery. Think of it as your file's résumé, except it can't lie about its graduation date.

Example Usage

The metadata revealed the document was created at 3 AM on a Saturday, which explained both the typos and the general tone of desperation.

Source: Information science and data management terminology

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