Advertisement - Continue reading below

Definition of "archive" []

  • A place or collection containing records, documents, or other materials of historical interest. Often used in the plural: old land deeds in the municipal archives. (noun)
  • Computer Science A long-term storage area, often on magnetic tape, for backup copies of files or for files that are no longer in active use. (noun)
  • Computer Science A file containing one or more files in compressed format for more efficient storage and transfer. (noun)
  • A repository for stored memories or information: the archive of the mind. (noun)
  • To place or store in an archive. (verb-transitive)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Use "archive" in a sentence
  • "With the plus sign "+" as a sigil, for instance, it is possible to use flags to turn options on and off. attrib - readonly - archive file_A. txt attrib +readonly +archive file_A. txt"
  • "I am on Dreamwidth but using it only as a backup for my Livejournal, given that my archive is apparently too big for LJarchive to cope with."
  • "But if you only save the things you love, your archive is a very poor reflection indeed."