Metadata (noun)

1. Information about data, such as the characteristics, format, and structure of a data set or the background information about a document or file.
2. Data that provides information about other data, such as the title, date, author, and keywords of a document.

Origin:

The word 'metadata' is derived from the greek words 'meta' meaning 'about' and 'data' meaning 'information'. it was first used in the late 20th century.

Examples:

1. Metadata is used to describe and categorize data for better organization and retrieval.
2. The metadata of a digital image can include information about the camera settings and location.
3. Metadata management is an important aspect of data governance.
4. Metadata can be used to enhance the search functionality of a database or search engine.
5. The collection and analysis of metadata can be used for various purposes, such as security, privacy, and data analytics.