hierarchical data structure
- noun
- Specialized
:
estructura de datos jerárquica
- When analyzing survey results, researchers often use a hierarchical data structure to account for the nested nature of the data.
Examples
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Hierarchical data structures have been identified in educational and psychological measurement, and statistical approaches are developed to partition the score variances at multiple levels of the data hierarchy.
Academic text (2002) -
In programming, a hierarchical data structure organizes data in levels, similar to a family tree.
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In particular, it has been argued that phylogenetic relationships among species create a hierarchical data structure that prevents closely related species from being used as independent data points.
Academic text (2000) -
Researchers in sport and exercise sciences often encounter hierarchical data structures (i.e., individual subjects are nested in groups, teams, classes, or schools).
Academic text (2002) -
The company's organizational chart is a typical example of a hierarchical data structure, showing various roles and their relationships.
Synonyms
244
6.0
A branching drawing that shows how things are connected, like a family tree
98
5.8
A system that puts people and things in order by rank or power
4
3.9
A way to store and organize data in a computer so programs can use it quickly
2
5.7
An arrangement of people or things in levels with higher levels controlling lower ones
An arrangement of data in levels where groups contain smaller groups, like folders and files
A way to arrange things in levels from broad to specific
How Hierarchical
Surface Forms
Morphology
hierarchical + data + structure
Each constituent's meaning — 'hierarchical' (arranged in levels), 'data' (information), and 'structure' (organization) — composes directly to yield 'an organized, multi-level arrangement of information.' This is a regular English compounding pattern and is cross-linguistically common, so a B1 learner who knows the parts would readily infer the MWE's meaning.
Etymology
The noun hierarchical data structure gives a simple picture: imagine a tree or a company chart with one thing at the top and others below on different 'levels'. That's why it means a way to 'organize' data so each item is under and linked to a higher item, like branches on that tree.