Robert Steinbrunn
Is data singular or plural?: Usage Guide
Data leads a life of its own quite independent of datum, of which it was originally the plural. It occurs in two constructions: as a plural noun (like earnings), taking a plural verb and plural modifiers (such as these, many, a few) but not cardinal numbers, and serving as a referent for plural pronouns (such as they, them); and as an abstract mass noun (like information), taking a singular verb and singular modifiers (such as this, much, little), and being referred to by a singular pronoun (it). Both constructions are standard. The plural construction is more common in print, evidently because the house style of several publishers mandates it.
Synonyms
Examples of datum in a Sentence
Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 8 June 2024
Stanford is among the most selective US colleges, admitting 3.9% of the applicants for the class of 2027, according to university data.
—Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 8 June 2024
The latest available data from the FWS shows that from 2015-2019, nearly 50,000 live plants and animals were seized or abandoned in the U.S. over that four year period — an average of about 27 individuals per day.
—Rachel Carlson, NPR, 8 June 2024
Average hourly wages surged 4.1% over the year ending in May, the fresh data on Friday showed.
—Max Zahn, ABC News, 7 June 2024
See all Example Sentences for datum 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'datum.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near datum
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“Datum.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/datum. Accessed 12 Jun. 2024.
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