ENGLISH
REFERENCE

deletion

n. C / U
B2 Upper Intermediate US //dɪˈɫiʃən// UK //dɪlˈiːʃən// dele·tion

n. the act of removing something that was written or stored on a computer. You use this when you talk about taking out a word from a sentence or a file from a folder.

n. the removal of written or recorded material from a document, computer file, or sequence. Often refers to the specific item that has been removed as well as the process itself.


SIMPLE

The editor suggested the deletion of the last paragraph.

CONTEXTUAL

Accidental deletion of important system files can cause your computer to stop working correctly.

COMPLEX

The final version of the manuscript underwent several significant deletions to ensure the narrative remained focused and the pacing stayed brisk for the reader.

Synonyms
Origin

From Latin dēlētiōnem (“destruction, effacement”), from the past-participle stem of dēlēre (“to blot out, destroy, efface”). Equivalent to delete + -ion.

Usage

Countable when referring to a specific instance or item removed; uncountable when referring to the general process of removing data.

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