What refers to information that describes data?

The term that refers to information describing data is known as metadata. Metadata provides context about the data, helping users understand its characteristics, such as the data's structure, format, origin, and how it was created. This information can include details like the data's creator, date of creation, purpose, and how it can be used. Metadata is essential for data management, as it enables effective searchability, data organization, and retrieval, allowing users to make informed decisions when handling data.

In contrast, concepts such as a data map, data warehouse, and database have different meanings. A data map typically outlines how data flows from one system to another or shows relationships between different datasets. A data warehouse is a centralized repository designed to store and analyze vast amounts of data from various sources, optimized for reporting and analysis rather than describing the data itself. A database is an organized collection of data that allows users to access, manage, and update the information stored within it, but it does not inherently provide information about the data as metadata does.