information
Definitions
Facts, data, or knowledge about something or someone.
信息；资料；情报
(Law) a formal accusation or charge brought against a person.
（法律）控告；起诉书
Root Breakdown
Root-derivedin- (into) + form (shape) + -ation (action/result) = 'the act or result of giving form to something.' Originally meant «the act of informing/educating» — giving shape to a mind. Eventually narrowed to the content that does the shaping: the facts and data that fill the form of knowledge.
Root form still carries 39 more wordsWhy It Means This
Information began as the abstract noun of inform — the act of giving form to someone's mind. In medieval English, «information» meant education or the shaping of character. As the verb «inform» specialized into «tell,» the noun specialized into «what you tell»: the facts and data conveyed. The 20th century supercharged the word: information theory (Shannon, 1948), information age, information technology. Today «information» is so abstract it's a foundational concept of modern life, but the root image of «something that gives form» is still there — information is what shapes our understanding.
Usage Guide
- Uncountable in most uses: 'much information,' 'a lot of information' — not «informations»
- Single piece: 'a piece of information,' 'one piece of information'
- Sources: 'for more information,' 'further information,' 'get information about'
- Modifiers: 'reliable / accurate / confidential / public / personal information'
- Compound: information age, information technology, information overload
Example Sentences
- 1.
For more information, please visit our website.
- 2.
The book contains useful information about local history.
- 3.
We live in the information age.
- 4.
Personal information must be protected.
Easily Confused
information vs data — In everyday English they overlap, but in technical contexts they differ: «data» is raw facts (numbers, measurements, text); «information» is data that has been organized or interpreted to be useful. Raw temperature readings are data; «the average temperature rose 2°C» is information.