# B-tree

CEFR C2 · Noun

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/b-tree
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Definition

a special way of organizing data in a computer so that it is very fast to find, add, or delete information. It is mostly used in databases and file systems to handle large amounts of data.

For teachers: a self-balancing tree data structure that maintains sorted data and allows searches, sequential access, insertions, and deletions in logarithmic time. It is optimized for systems that read and write large blocks of data, such as databases.

## Examples

- The database uses a b-tree to find records quickly.
- Engineers chose a b-tree structure for the new file system to ensure that search times remain consistent even as the disk fills up.
- By minimizing disk I/O operations through its high branching factor, the b-tree remains the foundational data structure for most relational database indexing engines.

## Usage notes

- Often hyphenated as 'B-tree'; the 'B' is usually capitalized in technical documentation.

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