data type
data type (dātə tīp`, datə) noun
In programming, a definition of a set of data that specifies the possible range of values of the set, the operations that can be performed on the values, and the way in which the values are stored in memory. Defining the data type allows a computer to manipulate the data appropriately. Data types are most often supported in high-level languages and often include types such as real, integer, floating point, character, Boolean, and pointer. How a language handles data typing is one of its major characteristics. See also cast, constant, enumerated data type, strong typing, type checking, user-defined data type, variable, weak typing.