archives

word · lemma: archive

/ˈɑɹˌkaɪvz/
AR-kyvz
/ˈɑːkaɪvz/
AH-kyvz

Definition

A collection of historical documents, records, or materials preserved for reference. Also the place where such materials are stored, or the act of storing them.

Usage & Nuances

Used as both noun and verb. In computing, "archive" means to compress or store files for long-term keeping. "The archives" (with "the") usually refers to the institution or building. "Archived" content on websites means old content moved out of the main view.

Example Sentences

The national archives contain documents dating back centuries.

basic

She spent weeks researching in the university archives.

basic

You can archive old emails to free up space.

basic

Historians discovered a trove of previously unknown letters in the archives.

natural

The Internet Archive preserves snapshots of websites as they appeared over time.

natural

The company archived all projects older than five years to cold storage.

natural