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Terabyte Meaning: Definition, Examples, and Translations

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terabyte

[ˈtɛrəˌbaɪt ]

Definition

Context #1 | Noun

data storage

A terabyte is a unit of digital information storage equivalent to 1,000 gigabytes or 1 trillion bytes. It is commonly used to measure the capacity of storage devices like hard drives, solid-state drives, and data centers. Terabytes are also utilized to quantify the size of large databases and large-scale data applications, such as cloud storage services. As technology advances, the importance of terabytes continues to grow due to the increasing amount of data generated by individuals and organizations.

Synonyms

Tb, Tbyte.

Examples of usage

  • The new hard drive has a capacity of two terabytes.
  • Our cloud service offers up to five terabytes of storage.
  • This video game requires a minimum of one terabyte of storage space.
  • The database holds over ten terabytes of user data.

Translations

To see the translation, please select a language from the options available.

Interesting Facts

Technology

  • As technology advanced, storage capacities increased from megabytes (million bytes) to gigabytes (billion bytes), and now to terabytes.
  • Modern hard drives can store several terabytes, making it easier to save large files like movies or databases.

Science

  • In scientific pursuits, terabytes can store vast amounts of data, such as genomic sequences or astronomical observations.
  • Instrumentations like telescopes and particle accelerators generate terabytes of data that require significant processing and storage.

Pop Culture

  • In 2020, video games and high-resolution films began to exceed a terabyte in file size, reflecting the growing demand for high-quality visuals.
  • Streaming services now often use terabytes for their libraries, as they host thousands of movies and shows for users to watch.

Psychology

  • The way we handle data can affect our cognitive load; immense storage like a terabyte implies an overwhelming amount of information to process.
  • Cognitive research suggests that while data storage can increase, our ability to digest and make sense of that data may lag behind.

Origin of 'terabyte'

Main points about word origin

  • The prefix 'tera' comes from the Greek word 'teras,' meaning monster, and is used in the metric system to denote a trillion.
  • The term was first defined in the 1980s as part of the International System of Units (SI) to help standardize digital storage measurements.

The term 'terabyte' comes from the prefix 'tera-', derived from the Greek word 'teras', meaning monster. It was introduced in the late 20th century as computer technology began to advance rapidly, allowing for the storage of more data than ever before. The International System of Units (SI) established the use of 'tera-' to refer to a factor of 10^12 (or 1 trillion) in 1960, and by the 1980s, the term 'terabyte' began to be widely adopted in the field of computing. As the digital landscape evolved, terabytes became a standard measurement for large volumes of data, particularly in industries such as information technology, telecommunication, and media production.

Word Frequency Rank

At position #40,506, this word is among the less frequently used terms in English. While interesting to know, it's not crucial for most English learners unless needed for specific purposes.