recordkeeping

noun

variants or less commonly record-keeping
: the act or practice of recording important information for future reference : the act of keeping records
Due to shoddy recordkeeping, the total area affected … is a mystery, and it will likely remain so.David Gargill

Examples of recordkeeping in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
In fact, Colorado just finished with its 5th driest January-July since recordkeeping began in 1895. Joe Ruch, CBS News, 25 Aug. 2026 Risam takes readers back to the dawn of data, charting the course of human recordkeeping from Mesopotamian farming to present-day surveillance technology. Mary Lawrence Ware, semafor.com, 24 Aug. 2026 Look for places where ownership, transfer, settlement or recordkeeping slows down because too many systems need to agree after the fact. Federico Sendra, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026 The last tropical system to make landfall was Tropical Storm Olivia in 2018, which came ashore on Maui, the island’s first landfall since recordkeeping began in the 1950s. Dalia Faheid, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for recordkeeping

Word History

First Known Use

1822, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of recordkeeping was in 1822

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Recordkeeping.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/recordkeeping. Accessed 30 Aug. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!