Word

documentation

noun C1

UK /ˌdɒkjʊmɛnˈteɪʃən/

US /ˌdɑkjəmɛnˈteɪʃən/

Meanings

noun

written information that explains how to use, build, or maintain something

noun

records or papers that provide evidence or details about something that happened

Definition

Documentation is written or recorded information that explains how something works or provides evidence about it.

Documentation refers to information—often manuals, guides, records, or reports—that helps people understand, use, or verify something. It can describe procedures and features, or it can serve as proof that actions, decisions, or changes happened. Good documentation is clear, organized, and easy to update so others can rely on it.

Examples

Before deploying the update, I reviewed the documentation to confirm the configuration steps and expected outputs.
If you want your team to move fast, you need documentation that is consistent, searchable, and kept current.
She wrote concise documentation for the new workflow so colleagues could follow it without constant meetings.
They requested documentation to support the change request, including timelines, decisions, and test results.

Common mistake

Learners sometimes treat documentation as countable and say “a documentation”; it is usually uncountable, so use “some documentation” or “a document/manual.”