data science

noun

: the application of scientific analysis to large often unstructured sets of data

The shift from hypothesis testing to machine learning approaches—from pure statistics to data science—is a huge shift.

—Robert Kabacoff, quoted in The Wesleyan Argus (Wesleyan University)

… has assembled a data science team that mines the vast amount of information contained in the relationships and profiles of the social network's … users.

—Mike Swift

also : the branch of science that deals with the applications and techniques of data analysis compare information science

Examples of data science in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Ted was accepted into a master’s program in data science at Columbia, but her own acceptance was at UC Berkeley. — Ellen O’Connell Whittet, Literary Hub, 7 Oct. 2026

Among shippers, 68 percent identified supply chain planning and analytics as a major talent gap, while 57 percent cited technology integration and 53 percent AI and data science. — Glenn Taylor, Footwear News, 6 Oct. 2026

Vanderbilt is building a graduate campus in West Palm Beach focused on business, AI, and data science, with $50 million from developer Stephen Ross leading the fundraising. — Catherina Gioino, Fortune, 3 Oct. 2026

Zachary Donnini, VoteHub’s head of data science, will continue to appear on the CBS News streaming platform, and their team will work with the CBS News Data Desk on election night. — Ted Johnson, Deadline, 17 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1963, in the meaning defined above