Digital

Word relationships

• Electronic: Broader term, referring to any technology using electronics, not necessarily discrete data.
• Computerized: Specifically relates to systems controlled by computers.

• Analog: Refers to continuous signals or data, not discrete units.
• Physical: Refers to tangible, non-electronic forms.

Commonly confused with

• Virtual: 'Digital' describes the format of data; 'virtual' describes something existing in essence but not physically.

Word family

• digitize (verb): To convert (data or an image) into digital form.
• digitization (noun): The process of converting information into digital format.

Collocations

• digital age
• digital camera
• digital marketing
• digital native
• digital footprint

Example sentences

• "The transition from analog to `digital` television broadcasts revolutionized picture quality and channel capacity." Describing modern technology.
• "She preferred her `digital` watch because it showed the exact time without needing to interpret hands on a dial." Referring to a type of clock.
• "Many contemporary artists now create stunning works using `digital` tools and software." In the context of art.

Memory hook

Think of your `digits` (fingers) for counting discrete numbers. `Digital` information is all about those countable numbers, 0s and 1s. Counting on fingers

When not to use

Do not use 'digital' when referring to continuous, non-discrete signals or information, such as traditional analog audio or video recordings.

Fun facts

• The term 'digital' gained widespread use in the mid-20th century with the advent of electronic computers.
• Before 'digital' became common, 'discrete' was often used to describe systems operating with distinct values.

Related words

Online, Virtual

Explore more words

digitize, analytical, neural, sequential, broadcast, Quantum