← Dictionary

record

/ˈrek.ɔːd/
IELTSAcademic
noun
  1. 1.

    An official written or digital account of facts, events, or actions. It is kept for later use, proof, or reference.

    • Keep a record of your expenses.
    • The school has a record of every student.
  2. 2.

    The best result ever achieved in a sport, competition, or activity.

    • She broke the world record.
    • His record is still unbeaten.
verb

To save sound, video, or information for later use. It can also mean to write something down officially.

  • Please record the meeting.
  • The nurse recorded his temperature.

Adinary Nuance

Record is often confused with report, note, and file. A record is the stored result or official evidence itself, while a report is a spoken or written account, and a note is shorter and more informal. As a verb, record usually means “save” or “capture,” not just “say aloud.”

In other languages

Vietnamese
hồ sơ
Spanish
registro
Chinese
记录
Japanese
記録
Korean
기록

Etymology

Record comes from Old French recorder, from Latin recordari, meaning “to remember.” It entered English in the Middle Ages.

Common phrases

keep a recordset a recordworld recordrecord of

Synonyms

Related words

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between record and report?
A record is stored evidence or history. A report is a summary or explanation of something.
Is record a noun or a verb?
It can be both. The stress changes: REcord as a noun, reCORD as a verb.
How do I use record in business writing?
Use it for facts kept officially, like records of sales, attendance, or payments.
What does set a record mean?
It means to achieve the highest or fastest result ever in that event.