data lake
DAY-tah LAYK
ˈdeɪtə leɪkListen
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Syllable breakdown
Dictionary meaning
a centralized repository that stores vast quantities of raw, unprocessed data in its native format — structured (tables), semi-structured (JSON, XML), and unstructured (text, images, video) — without requiring a predefined schema; in contrast to a data warehouse, a data lake applies schema at read time (schema-on-read), enabling flexible exploration; widely built on Hadoop HDFS or cloud object storage (Amazon S3, Azure Data Lake Storage, Google Cloud Storage); coined by James Dixon of Pentaho in 2010
Examples
- The company stored clickstream logs, IoT sensor data, and social media feeds in its data lake.
- Without proper governance, a data lake can become a 'data swamp' — full of data no one can find or trust.
Synonyms: raw data store, data reservoir
Pronunciation tips
The 'lake' metaphor contrasts with 'data mart' (a small, purpose-built pool) and 'data warehouse' (a structured, curated store). A data lake stores everything raw; a warehouse stores only what has been cleaned and modeled.
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