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Origin and history of information

information(n.)

late 14c., informacion, "act of informing, communication of news," from Old French informacion, enformacion "advice, instruction," from Latin informationem (nominative informatio) "outline, concept, idea," noun of action from past participle stem of informare "to train, instruct, educate; shape, give form to" (see inform). The restored Latin spelling is from 16c.

Meaning "knowledge communicated concerning a particular topic" is from mid-15c. The word was used in reference to television broadcast signals from 1937; to punch-card operating systems from 1944; to DNA from 1953. Information theory is from 1950; information technology is from 1958 (coined in "Harvard Business Review"); information revolution, to be brought about by advances in computing, is from 1966. Information overload is by 1967.

also from late 14c.

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inform(v.)

early 14c., "to train or instruct in some specific subject," from Old French informer, enformer "instruct, teach" (13c.) and directly from Latin informare "to shape, give form to, delineate," figuratively "train, instruct, educate," from in- "into" (from PIE root *en "in") + formare "to form, shape," from forma "form" (see form (n.)). In early use also enform until c. 1600. Sense of "report facts or news, communicate information to" first recorded late 14c. Related: Informed; informing.

disinformation(n.)

"The dissemination of deliberately false information, esp. when supplied by a government or its agent to a foreign power or to the media, with the intention of influencing the policies or opinions of those who receive it" [OED], 1955, from Russian dezinformatsiya (1949), which is said to be from French désinformation, but the French word is not as old as the Russian one; see dis- + information.

Simply put, disinformation is a falsehood created with the intention to cause harm. Misinformation is also false, but created or shared without the intention to deceive others. [New York Times, Oct. 26, 2020]
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data
1640s, "a fact given or granted," classical plural of datum, from Latin datum "(thing) given," neuter past participle of dare "to give" (from PIE root *do- "to give"). In classical use originally "a fact given as the basis for calculation in mathematical problems." From 1897 as "
entropy
1868, from German Entropie "measure of the disorder of a system," coined 1865 (on analogy of Energie) by German physicist Rudolph Clausius (1822-1888), in his work on the laws of thermodynamics, from Greek entropia "a turning toward," from en "in" (see en- (2)) + trope "a turning
notice
early 15c., "information, knowledge, intelligence," from Old French notece (14c.), and directly from Latin notitia "a being...Sense of "formal statement conveying information or warning" is attested from 1590s....Meaning "a sign giving information" is from 1805....
inquire
c. 1300, enqueren, anqueren, "to ask (a question), ask about, ask for (specific information); learn or find out by asking..., seek information or knowledge; to conduct a legal or official investigation (into an alleged offense)," from Old French...
propaganda
The modern political sense ("dissemination of information intended to promote a political point of view") dates from World...Meaning "material or information propagated to advance a cause, etc." is from 1929. Related: Propagandic....
magazine
Gentleman's Magazine, in 1731, which was so called from earlier use of the word for printed lists of military stores and information..., or in a figurative sense, from the publication being a "storehouse" of information (originally of books, 1630s)....
intelligence
Sense of "information received or imparted, news" first recorded mid-15c., especially "secret information from spies" (1580s...
secret
late 14c., "that which is hidden from human understanding;" early 15c., "that which is hidden from general knowledge;" from Latin secretum "secrecy; a mystery; a thing hidden; secret conversation," also "retirement, solitude," noun from secretus "set apart, withdrawn; hidden, con
resect
"cut off or away, pare off," 1650s, from Latin resectus, past participle of resecare "to cut off, cut loose, curtail," from re-, here perhaps an intensive prefix (see re-), + secare "to cut" (from PIE root *sek- "to cut"). The surgical sense of "excising of some part," of a bone,
substance
c. 1300, substaunce, "divine part or essence" common to the persons of the Trinity;" mid-14c. in philosophy and theology, "that which exists by itself; essential nature; type or kind of thing; real or essential part;" from Old French sustance, substance "goods, possessions; natur

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