What Is Metadata? Metadata Definition – Komprise (2024)

FAQs

What is the simplest Definition of metadata? ›

Metadata is defined as the data providing information about one or more aspects of the data; it is used to summarize basic information about data that can make tracking and working with specific data easier.

Metadata Definition. Structured information that describes, explains, locates, or otherwise makes it easer to use, or manage an information resource; data about data; describes resources and ways to find resources.

It helps users understand the meaning of the data and is essential in ensuring compliance with regulations and data governance initiatives. Metadata provides information such as the origin of the data, its meaning, its location, its ownership, and its creation.

Metadata is defined as the information that describes and explains data. It provides context with details such as the source, type, owner, and relationships to other data sets. So, it can help you understand the relevance of a particular data set and guide you on how to use it.

Metadata summarizes basic information about data, making finding and working with particular instances of data easier. It doesn't tell you what the content is, but instead describes the type of thing that it is. Essentially it helps explain its provenance – its origin, nature and lineage.

In the real world, metadata is everywhere. Each time you open an email, read a book or order something on Amazon, you encounter metadata. The metadata of a book is the title, author, number of pages etc. Every book is enriched with metadata.

Metadata ensure that data are FAIR: Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Re-usable. Findable: Metadata make it much easier to find relevant data. Most searches are done using text (like a Google search), so formats like audio, images, and video are limited unless textual metadata are available.

Definition. Metadata is the information that defines and describes data. It is often referred to as data about data or information about data because it provides data users with information about the purpose, processes, and methods involved in the data collection.

Metadata is a collection of information, or data, that describes another set of data. In other words, metadata is "data about data." No kidding. The classic example of metadata is a library's card catalog — it's a complete system of data that's all about another set of data, the books that library holds.

You can use the Get Metadata activity to retrieve the metadata of any data in Azure Data Factory or a Synapse pipeline. You can use the output from the Get Metadata activity in conditional expressions to perform validation, or consume the metadata in subsequent activities.

What is the difference between data and metadata? ›

The main difference between data and metadata lies in how we use the two pieces of information. Data is a set of raw facts that help identify useful information when they are cleaned, processed, and organized. Metadata, on the other hand, is data about data. If data is the new oil, metadata is the refinery.

Any data related to an identified or identifiable natural person is considered personal data and is as such protected under the GDPR. This includes metadata.

Metadata is a set of data that provides information about other data. Metadata contextualizes other data — providing information such as when and how it was gathered — which makes the data easier to find, understand, use, and manage.

Descriptive metadata describes the object or data and gives the basic facts: who created it (i.e. authorship), title, keywords, and abstract. Structural metadata describes the structure of an object including its components and how they are related.

There are three main types of metadata: descriptive, administrative, and structural. Descriptive metadata enables discovery, identification, and selection of resources. It can include elements such as title, author, and subjects. Administrative metadata facilities the management of resources.

"Metadata is structured information that describes, explains, locates, or otherwise makes it easier to retrieve, use, or manage an information resource." Definition from Steven Miller, Information and Metadata Lecturer.

Document properties, also known as metadata, are details about a file that describe or identify it. They include details such as title, author name, subject, and keywords that identify the document's topic or contents.