data structure
compound.compound. a specific way of organizing and storing information in a computer so that it can be used efficiently. Different types are used for different tasks, like searching for a name or sorting a list.
compound. a specialized format for organizing, processing, retrieving, and storing data within a computer system. Common types include arrays, linked lists, and trees, each optimized for specific algorithmic operations.
Choosing the right data structure makes your program run much faster.
The developer realized that switching from a list to a hash map data structure would significantly reduce the search time.
Efficient software design often hinges on selecting a data structure that balances memory consumption against the computational complexity of required operations like insertion and deletion.
A compound term formed from the Latin datum, the neuter past participle of dare meaning to give, and the Latin structura, derived from struere meaning to build or assemble.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Often used in the plural when discussing computer science theory or software architecture.
Last updated July 22, 2026