Glossary - Oracle

A
ADD_MONTHS	Function that adds calendar months to a date.
Afficionado	An ardent follower, a fan, a buff, a devotee.
Aggregate	To gather into a sum or whole.
Alias	Gives a table another name to simplify queries and improve performance
ALL operator	Compares value to every value returned by the subquery
ALTER SEQUENCE	Modifies a sequence.
ALTER TABLE	To add, modify, or drop columns from a table; use to add a constraint to existing tables with the ADD clause.
ALTER USER	The right to change your password.
Ambiguous	Open to more than one interpretation.
AND	Both conditions must be true for a record to be selected.
ANSI	American National Standards Institute; sets standards for a wide range of technical areas.
ANY operator	Compares value to each value returned by the subquery.
Application	An application is a collection of database-driven Web pages linked together using tabs, buttons, or hypertext links
Application builder	Oracle's HTML DB web-based application developer tool used to design and assemble the Web based user interfaces on top of database objects such as table, views, and procedures.
Application software	Program that gives a computer instructions that provide the user with tools to accomplish a task.
Appreciation	A rise in value or price, especially over time
Arc	A curved line. An arc is used to represent an exclusive relationship in an entity-relationship diagram
Argument (arg)	A value used to evaluate a function.
Arithmetic expression	A mathematical equation.
Arithmetic operator	A symbol used to perform an operation on some values.
Artificial attribute	A created attribute that does not occur in nature (example: a student id).
Artificial UID	A unique identifier that does not occur in nature, usually an artificial attribute.
Ascending/ASC	Orders the rows in ascending order (this is the default order); A Z.
Assumption	Something taken for granted or accepted as true without proof; a supposition.
Attribute	Characteristic, something that describes, quantifies or specifies an entity.
Audit trail	A step-by-step record of data changes.
AVG	Calculates average value excluding nulls.
B
Barred relationship	A relationship that participates in an entity's unique identifier.
BETWEEN	Displays rows based on a range of values.
BFILE	Binary data stored in an external file; up to 4 gigabytes.
BLOB	Binary large object data up to 4 gigabytes.
Browser	A program that accesses and displays files and other data available on the Internet and other networks.
Business rule	A formalized statement of the usual, customary, or generalized course of action or behavior for a business. A generalized statement that describes what is true in most or all cases.
C
CACHE/NOCACHE	Specifies how many values the Server pre-allocates and keeps in memory.
Caches	A fast storage buffer in the central processing unit of a computer. Also called cache memory.
Cardinality	A property of an end of a relationship between X and Y, that describes how many of X is related to Y. Both ends of a relationship must have a defined cardinality. Same as degree.
Career portfolio	The materials collected over the course of a career, representative of a person's work.
Cartesian product	Results from an invalid or omitted join condition; all combinations of rows are displayed.
Cascade barred relationship	A series of barred relationships between successively connected entities. Cascade barred relationships imply that the unique identifier of each entity in the chain is carried down to the entity on the next level.
CASCADE constraint	Constraints referring to dropped columns will also be dropped.
CASE	Implements conditional processing (IF-THEN-ELSE logic) within a SQL statement; it meets the ANSI standard.
Case conversion functions	These functions convert case for character strings.
Case sensitive	There is a noted difference between big (capitalized) and small letters.
CEO	Chief Executive Officer, the highest-ranking executive in a company or organization, responsible for carrying out the policies of the board of directors on a day-to-day basis.
CHAR(size)	The CHAR data type stores fixed-length character strings. (Size) refers to the maximum number of characters. The database allocates a fixed space designated by (size), regardless of how many characters the actual data takes up. The default size is 1, the max size is 2000.
Character data type	Stores fixed-length character strings.
Character functions	Functions that accept character data as input and can return both character and numeric values.
Character manipulation functions	These functions manipulate character strings.
CHECK constraint	Specifies a condition that must be true for each row of data.
Child record	The record that holds the column data that references to another table.
Chronological resume	A document highlighting an individual's accomplishments and job experience, listed according to date (from the most recent employment to further in the past.)
Clause	Is a part of a SQL statement, one line of code.
Client	Customer. The party for which professional services are rendered.
CLOB	Character large object data up to 4 gigabytes.
COALESCE	Returns the first non-null expression in the list.
Column	A means of implementing an item of data within a table, an implementation of an attribute or relationship.
Column alias	Renames a column heading.
Column level constraint	References a single column and is defined within a specification for the owning column.
Comma (,)	Separation symbol for the columns of data.
COMMENT ON TABLE	Command to add comments to a table or column.
Commerce	The exchange or buying and selling of commodities; esp. the exchange of merchandise, on a large scale, between different places or communities.
COMMIT	Ends the current transaction by making al l pending data changes permanent
Commission	To engage and pay for the services of a professional (e.g., carpenter, writer, gardener).
Comparison conditions	Compares one expression to another value or expression.
Comparison/relational Operators	Symbols (>, <, >=, <=, =, <>) used to compare expressions.
Complex view	Derives data from more than one table, contains functions or groups of data, and does not always allow DML operations through the view.
Compliant	Yielding; bending; pliant; submissive.
Components	A constituent element, as of a system.
Composite	Made up of distinct parts.
Composite UID	A unique identifier that is a combination of attributes and/or relationships.
CONCAT	Merges the first character value to the second character value; equivalent to concatenation operator (||).
Concatenation	Links two columns together to form one character data column.
Conceptual model	A data model, usually represented by an entity-relationship diagram.
Conditional expressions	Implement IF-THEN-ELSE logic.
Conditional nontransferability	Refers to a relationship that may or may not be transferable, depending on time.
Constant	A quantity assumed to have a fixed value in a specified mathematical context.
Constraint	Restricts, limits, or regulates; a check. A restriction that applies to data, which is often dictated by the business rules.
Consultant	One who gives expert or professional advice.  In the information technology industry, one who provides expert services, such as data modeling, database troubleshooting, installation support, etc.
Context	The circumstances in which an event occurs; a setting.
Convention	A practice or procedure widely observed in a group, especially to facilitate communication or social interaction; a custom.
Conversion	A change in the units or form of an expression.
Conversion functions	Functions that convert a value from one data type to another.
Coordinated universal time (UTC)	Is standard time expressed using a 24-hour clock.
Correlation	The simultaneous change in value of two numerically valued random variables.
Corresponding	To be similar in character, quantity, origin, structure, or function.
COUNT	Returns the number of rows with non-null values for the expression.
CREATE INDEX	Creates an index.
CREATE OR REPLACE VIEW	Recreates or creates a view.
CREATE PROCEDURE privilege	The right to create a stored procedure, function, or package in the user’s schema.
CREATE PUBLIC SYNONYM	To refer to a table by another name to simplify access.
CREATE ROLE	The right to create a role.
CREATE SEQUENCE	Command that automatically generates sequential numbers.
CREATE SEQUENCE privilege	The right to create a sequence in the user’s schema.
CREATE SESSION privilege	The right to connect to the database.
CREATE TABLE	Command to create tables to store data.
CREATE TABLE privilege	The right to create tables in the user’s schema.
CREATE USER	The right to create other users.
CREATE VIEW	Creates a view by embedding a subquery within it.
CREATE VIEW privilege	The right to create a view in the user’s schema.
CROSS JOIN	Returns the Cartesian product from two tables.
CRUD analysis	The practice of checking a data model for create, retrieve, update and delete functions that the business requires.
Culminating	To come to completion, to reach the highest point or degree.
CURRVAL	Returns the current sequence value.
CYCLE/NOCYCLE	Specifies whether the sequence continues to generate values after reaching its maximum or minimum values.
D
Data	A collection of facts from which conclusions may be drawn. Numbers, characters, images, or other method of recording, in a form that can be assessed by a human or (especially) input into a computer, stored and processed there, or transmitted on some digital channel.
Data control language (DCL)	Manages the changes made by DML statements; changes to the data can be grouped together into logical transactions.
Data definition language (DDL)	Set-up, change and remove data structures from tables.
Data dictionary	Created and maintained by the Oracle Server and contains information about the database.
Data integrity	The state or quality of the data in the database as being entire or complete, honest, and correct. Data integrity rules ensure that users perform only operations which leave the database in a correct, consistent state.
Data manipulation language (DML)-	Enters new rows, changes existing rows, and removes unwanted rows from tables in the database.
Data model	The product of the database design process which aims to identify and organize the required data. A data model says what information is to be contained in a database, how the information will be used, and how the items in the database will be related to each other. One of the most widely used methods for developing data models is the entity-relationship model.
Data security	Covers access and use of the database objects and the actions that those users can have on the objects.
Data structure	A physical method of organizing a collection of data in a database to allow it to be manipulated effectively. Examples of data structures are: table, index, view.
Data type	A classification identifying one of various types of data, stating the possible values for that type, the operations that can be done on that type, and the way the values of that type are stored.
Data type conversion	To convert data of one data type to a different data type.
Data warehouse	A generic term for a system for storing, retrieving and managing large amounts of any type of data.
Database	A collection of data arranged for ease and speed of search and retrieval. One or more large structured sets of persistent data, usually associated with software to update and query the data.
Database link connections	Allows local users to access data on a remote database.
Database objects	A data structure in the database.
Database transaction	A database transaction consists of one of the following: DML statements which constitute one consistent change to the data;one DDL statement; one DCL statement
DATE data type	Date and time value between January 1, 4712 B.C. and A.D. December 31, 9999.
DATE functions	Functions that return a value of DATE data type or a numeric value.
DBMS	Database Management System; stores, retrieves, and modifies data in the database on request.
DCL	Data Control Language; gives or removes access rights to both the Oracle database and the structures within it.
DD date format	Numeric day of the month.
DDL	Data Definition Language; setup, change, and remove data structures from tables.
Deceased	Dead, no longer living.
Decline	Deteriorate, to move downward.
DECODE	Implements conditional processing (IF-THEN-ELSE logic) within a SQL statement; it is specific to the Oracle syntax.
Default	A particular setting or value for a variable that is assigned automatically by an operating system and remains in effect unless canceled or overridden by the operator, or specifies a preset value if a value is omitted in the INSERT statement.
Deferred	Put off, delay.
Degree	A property of an end of a relationship between X and Y, that describes how many of X is related to Y. Both ends of a relationship must have a defined degree. Same as cardinality.
DELETE	Removes existing rows from a table.
Demographics	The characteristics of human populations and population segments.
Depreciation	A decrease or loss in value, because of age, wear, or market conditions.
Deregulation	To free from restriction, especially to remove government regulations from (example: deregulate the airline industry).
Descending/DESC	Orders the rows in descending order; Z A.
DESCRIBE (DESC)	An iSQL*Plus command to display the structure of a table.
DISABLE CONSTRAINT	To deactivate an integrity constraint.
Discrete	Defined for a finite or countable set of values; not continuous.
Discriminator column	A column that is created in the single table implementation of the supertype, to hold values that distinguish between the subtypes.
Disk I/O	Writing and reading of data onto and from a storage disk.
DISTINCT	A command that suppresses duplicates, or makes the function consider only non-duplicate values within a column.
Distribution	The commercial activity of transporting and selling goods from a producer to a consumer.
Diversify	To give variety to; vary (example: diversify a menu.) To spread out activities or investments, especially in business.
DML	Data Manipulation Language; enters new rows, changes existing rows, and removes unwanted rows from the tables in the database.
Domain	Set of all possible values of an independent variable of a function.
DROP COLUMN	To delete a column from a table.
DROP CONSTRAINT	Removes a constraint from a table.
DROP INDEX	Removes an index.
DROP SEQUENCE	Removes a sequence.
DROP SYNONYM-	Removes a synonym.
DROP TABLE	Removes the definition of a table.
DROP VIEW	Removes a view.
DUAL Table	Dummy table used to view results from functions and calculations.
Dummy	A piece of information entered into a computer only to meet prescribed conditions and having no effect on operations.
DY date format	Name of the day; three-letter abbreviation.
E
Efficiency	Skillfulness in avoiding wasted time and effort.
Embedded	To enclose snugly or firmly.
ENABLE CONSTRAINT	To activate an integrity constraint currently disabled.
Entity	A named thing or category of things that is significant to the business and about which data must be known.
Entity relationship diagram	A drawing that is used to represent a data model.
Entity relationship modeling	The practice of creating data models and using entity-relationship diagrams to represent the data requirements of a business.
Equality	A statement, usually a condition, that one thing equals another.
Equijoin	Values in a column in one table must be equal to a value in another table; also called an inner join or simple join.
ERDish	The language or statements used to describe relationships between entities in an entity-relationship diagram.
ESCAPE	This option identifies the escape characters; which causes the server to interpret the character literally.
Exclusive	Not including the specified limits, but only the area between them: 20-25, exclusive; that is, 21, 22, 23 and 24.
Exclusive OR relationship	A logical operator that returns a true value if one, but not both, of its operands is true. Also called XOR.  `A xor B' means `A or B, but not both'. (example: "I want to get cherry pie xor a banana split.")
Exhaustive	Treating all parts or aspects without omission.
Expenditure	That which is paid out; an expense.
Explicit	Fully and clearly expressed; leaving nothing implied.
Expression	A symbol or combination of symbols that represents a quantity or a relationship between quantities.
F
Feedback	The return of information about the result of a process or activity; an evaluative response.
Field	Intersection of a row and column.
Finance	The management of money, banking, investments, and credit.
First Normal Form (1NF)	The output of the first step of database normalization.  First Normal Form eliminates repeating groups by putting each into a separate table and connecting them with a one-to-many relationship.
fm	‘format-model’; used to remove padded blanks or to suppress leading zeros.
FORCE	Creates a view regardless of whether or not the base tables exist.
Foreign key	A column or set of columns that defines how tables relate to each other; this column or set of columns refers to a in the same table or another table, or Referential Integrity Constraint, designates a column or combination of columns (child table) as the column(s) that establishes a relationship between a primary key or a unique key in the same table and a different table (parent table).
Format	The arrangement of data for storage or display.
Formulate	To state as or reduce to a formula.  To express in systematic terms or concepts.  To devise or invent (example: formulate strategy.)
FROM	The clause that specifies the table containing the columns.
FULL OUTER JOIN	Performs a join on two tables, retrieves all the rows in the Left table, even if there is no match in the Right table.  It also retrieves all the rows in the Right table, even if there is no match in the Left table.  The WHERE clause lists the Left and Right tables.
Function-based	Index based on expressions.
Functional resume	A document highlighting an individual's accomplishments and job experience, organized into sections that focus on areas of skill and achievement, rather than according to chronological date.
Functions	Are used to perform calculations on data, modify individual data items, manipulate output for groups of rows, format dates and numbers for display, and convert column data types.
G
Generic	Relating to or descriptive of an entire group or class; general.
Globalization	Describes how a system or occurrence (business, organization, popular culture) becomes worldwide in scope and application.
GRANT privilege	The right to grant specific system privileges to a user.
Graphical user interface (GUI)	An interface for issuing commands to a computer utilizing a pointing device, such as a mouse, that manipulates and activates graphical images on a monitor.
Grid computing	An ambitious and exciting global effort to develop an environment in which individual users can access computers, databases and experimental facilities simply and transparently, without having to consider where those facilities are located.
GROUP BY clause	Divides the rows in a table into groups.
Group functions	Operate on sets of rows to give one result per group.
H
HAVING clause	Is used to specify which groups are to be displayed; restricts groups that do not meet group criteria.
Hardware	A computer and the associated physical equipment directly involved in the performance of data-processing or communications functions.  Machines and other physical equipment directly involved in performing an industrial, technological, or military function.
Hierarchical relationships	A series of relationships that reflect entities organized into successive levels.
High-volume entity	An entity that will have a large number of instances.
Historical data	Data that records changes over time.
Hone	To sharpen. To perfect or make more intense or effective.
I
IF-THEN-ELSE	A programming IF statement that checks condition(s), if the condition(s) is true the THEN statement(s) get accomplished; if the condition is false the ELSE statement(s) gets accomplished.
Implementation-free	Not dependent on the physical model.
Implicit	Implied or understood though not directly expressed.
IN	Tests for values in a specified list of values.
IN operator	Compares if value is in the list of all values returned by the subquery.
Inapplicable	Incapable of being applied.
Inclusive	Including the specified limits and the area between them: the numbers one to ten, inclusive.
INCREMENT BY	Specifies the interval between sequence numbers.
Index	Improves the performance of some queries; it is a schema object that speeds up retrieval of rows.
Inequality	A condition/relation showing that a quantity is greater than or less than another quantity.
Information	Knowledge, intelligence, a particular piece of data with a special meaning or function. Information is often the result of combining, comparing, and performing calculations on data.
Infrastructure	The basic framework or features of a system. The basic facilities, services, and installations needed for the functioning of a community or society, such as transportation and communications systems, water and power lines, and public institutions including schools, post offices, and prisons.
INITCAP	Converts alpha character values to uppercase for the first letter of each word, all other letters in lowercase.
INLINE VIEW	Subqueries with an alias that can be used within a SQL statement
Inner Join	is a join of two tables returning only matched rows
Inner Query	Also called the subquery, returns a value that is used by the outer query.
Input	Raw data entered into the computer
INSERT INTO	Adds a new row to a table
Instance	An occurrence or example.
INSTR	Returns the numeric position of a named string.
Integration	Combining software or hardware components or both into an overall system.
Integrity Constraint	Ensure that the data adheres to a predefined set of rules.
Interface	(a)The point of interaction or communication between a computer and any other entity, such as a printer or human operator. (b) The layout of an application's graphic or textual controls in conjunction with the way the application responds to user activity: an interface whose icons were hard to remember.
Intersection Entity	The product of the resolution of a many to many relationship.
INTERVAL DAY TO SECOND	Allows time to be stored as an interval of days to hours, minutes, and seconds.
INTERVAL YEAR TO MONTH	Allows time to be stored as an interval of years and months.
IS NULL	Condition tests for null values.
ISO	International Organization for Standardization, Geneva; an organization that sets international standards. ISO deals with all fields except electrical and electronics.
Iteration	Repetition.
J
Join(s)	Display data from two or more related tables.
Joining	The capability in SQL to bring together data that is stored in different tables.
Journalling	Keeping an on-going record of transactions.
K
Keyword	Refers to an individual SQL element.
L
LAST_DAY	Function that calculates the last day of the month specified.
LEFT OUTER JOIN	Performs a join on two tables, retrieves all the rows in the Left table even if there is no match in the Right table.  The WHERE clause lists the Left and Right tables.
LENGTH	Returns the number of characters in the expression.
LIKE	Selects rows that match a character pattern.
Literal	A character, a number, or a date value.
LOB	Large object data type to store large and unstructured data.
Lock	Mechanisms that prevent destructive interaction between transactions accessing the same resource
Logging	Keeping an on-going record of transactions.
Logical conditions	Combine the results of two component conditions to produce a single result based on them or inverts the result of a single condition.
Logical operators	AND, OR, NOT.
Logistics	The planning, execution and control of the movement and placement of people and/or goods, and of the supporting activities related to such movement and placement within a system organized to achieve specific objectives.
LONG	Variable-length character data up to 2 gigabytes.
LOWER	Converts alpha character values to lowercase.
LPAD	Pads the character value right-justified to a total width of a specified character positions.
M
Mandatory	Required, necessary, imperative.
Manipulation	To move, arrange, operate, or control in a skillful manner.
Many-to-many (M:M)	A type of relationship that has "one or more" cardinality at both ends. A relationship in which many records in one table match many records in another table.
Map	A representation. To map the conceptual model to a relational design is to represent the elements of an ERD (entities, attributes, relationships) with database elements (tables, attributes, foreign keys).
Matrix diagram	A grid-like drawing that can be used to discover and record relationships between entities in an entity-relationship model.
MAX	Returns maximum value ignoring nulls.
MAXVALUE/NOMAXVALUE	Specifies a maximum or default value the sequence can generate.
MERGE INTO	Provides the ability to conditionally update or insert data into a database table.
MIN	Returns minimum value ignoring nulls.
MINVALUE/NOMINVALUE	Specifies the minimum sequence or default value.
MOD function	Returns the remainder of a division.
Modification	Change, revision.
MONTHS_BETWEEN	Function that calculates the number of months between two dates
Multiple-row functions	These functions can manipulate groups of rows to give one result per group of rows.
Multiple-row operators	Operator that expects one or more values.
Mutually exclusive	A relationship that presents choices which are unable to be true at the same time. A choice between mutually exclusive possibilities means selecting "either this or that."
N
NATURAL JOIN	Joins two tables based on the same column name
Nesting functions	Is using a function call as an argument to another function.
NEXT_DAY	Function that calculates the next date of the day specified
NEXTVAL	Returns the next available sequence value.
NO FORCE	Creates a view only if the base tables exist.
Nontangible	Incapable of being perceived by the senses.  Same as intangible.
Nontransferability	Property of a relationship where an instance of A is related to an instance of B, and the association cannot be moved to another instance of B.  This is normally determined by the business rules.
Nonequijoin	A join condition containing something other than an equality operator; values in a column in one table must be conditional to but not equal to a value(s) in another table.
Normalization	A series of steps followed to obtain a database design that allows for efficient access and storage of data in a relational database. These steps reduce data redundancy and the chances of data becoming inconsistent.
NOT-	Inverts the value of the condition
NOT NULL	Constraint ensures that the column contains no null values.
NULL	A value that is unavailable, unassigned, unknown, or inapplicable; it is not a zero or space.
NULL IF	NULLIF compares two expressions; if they are equal, the function returns null; if they are not equal, the function returns the first expression.
NUMBER(size)	A data type that is commonly used for numbers.  (Size) refers to the maximum number of digits.
NUMBER data type	Number value; only contains a number, plus or minus sign, and a decimal point.
Number functions	These functions accept numeric input and return numeric values.
Numeric data type	Number value; only contains a number, plus or minus sign, and a decimal point.
NVL	Converts nulls to an actual value, or to force group functions to include null values.
NVL2	Examines the first expression; if the first expression is not null, it returns the second expression; if the first expression is null, it returns the third expression.
O
Object	A data structure in a database.
Object privileges	The right to manipulate the content of the objects in the database.
Obsolete	No longer in use, outdated.
OLTP	Online transaction processing.
ON Clause-	Allows a natural join based on an arbitrary condition or to specify columns to join; separates the join condition from other search conditions
ON DELETE CASCADE	Deletes the dependent rows in the child table when a row in the parent table is deleted.
ON DELETE SET NULL	Converts dependent foreign key values to null.
One-to-one (1:1)	A type of relationship that has "one and only one" cardinality at both ends. A relationship where each record in Table A can be related to one, and only one, record in Table B, and vice versa.
One-to-many (1:M)	A relationship where a single record in Table A can be related to one or more records in Table B, but a single record in Table B can only be related to one record in Table A.
Operating system	Software designed to control the hardware of a specific data-processing system in order to allow users and application programs to make use of it.
Operator precedence	An order of rank relating to SQL commands and operations, or rules that determine the order expressions are evaluated and calculated.
Optional	Not required; left to choice.
Optionality	A property of an end of a relationship between X and Y,  that describes whether X must be or may be related to Y.  Both ends of a relationship must have a defined optionality.
OR	Either condition can be true for a record to be selected.
Oracle 9i /10g	A comprehensive high-performance infra-structure for e-business which includes everything needed to develop, deploy, and manage Internet applications.
Oracle HTML DB	A component in the Oracle Database 10g. HTML DB is a browser based Web application development tool for the Oracle database.
Oracle instance	A combination of the background processes and memory buffers.
ORDBMS	Object Relational Database Management System; defines data types and objects and is fully compatible with relational databases and supports multimedia and large objects.
ORDER BY-	Clause used to sort rows.
Order of operations-	The prescribed procedure of mathematical operations
Outer join (+)	Returns rows that do not meet the join condition along with rows that do meet the join condition.
Outer query	Also called the main query, accepts a value from the inner query to solve its original query.
Output	Data that is processed into information.
P
Parallel operations	The simultaneous execution of 2 different operations. In the system development lifecycle, it refers to the simultaneous use of the old and the new systems. It is usually done prior to making the old obsolete and fully replacing it with the new.
Parent record	The record that holds the column data that references other tables.
Personal inventory	A detailed, itemized record of accomplishments.
Perspective	Point of view.
Petabyte	A unit of computer memory or data storage capacity equal to 1,024 terabytes (250 bytes). One quadrillion bytes.
Physical	Of or relating to material things: our physical environment.
Physical model	A design for an object (a car, a house, a database, etc.) which includes implementation details such as size, volume, weight, etc.)
Platform	The basic technology of a computer system's hardware and software that defines how a computer is operated and determines what other kinds of software can be used.
Pointer	A variable that holds the address of a core storage location,
Populate	To supply with inhabitants.  To populate a table is to enter data into it.
Portal	An entrance or a means of entrance
Primary key	A constraint which ensures that the column contains no null values and uniquely identifies each row of the table, or unique identifier of each row of data in a table; it must contain a value and it must be unique. The set of mandatory columns within a table that is used to enforce uniqueness of rows, and that is normally the most frequent means by which rows are accessed.
Primary UID	The designated unique identifier for an entity, when there is more than one UID available.
Privilege	The right to execute particular SQL statements.
Procedural business rule	A business rule that is workflow or business process related. (example: A has to happen before B, and then C has to happen at the same time as D.) This is also called a process business rule.
Procurement	To get by special effort; obtain or acquire. All of the processes involved in requesting, ordering, auditing, and paying for goods and services.
Projection	The capability in SQL to choose the columns in a table that you want returned from a query.
Property	A characteristic.
Proprietary	Owned by a private individual or corporation under a trademark or patent.
Pseudocolumn	Behaves like a table column but is not actually stored in the table, or dummy column, are not actual columns in a table but they behave like columns.
PUBLIC privilege	The right of an owner of a table to grant access to all users.
Q
Query	A question to be answered or solved.
R
RAW & LONG RAW	Raw binary data.
Read consistency	An automatic implementation that guarantees a consistent view of the data at all times. Changes made by one user do not conflict with changes made by another user.
Readability	Code that can be easily read
Recursive relationship	A relationship between an entity and itself.
Redundancy	Something that is unnecessarily repetitive, the state of being unnecessarily repetitive.
Redundant	Unnecessarily repetitive.
REFERENCES	Identifies that table and column in the parent table.
Relational database	Collections of objects or relations, set of operators to act on those relations, and data integrity for accuracy and consistency.
Relationship	A connection or association between objects.
RENAME	Used to change the name of a table.
REPLACE	Searches a text expression for a character string and, if found, replaces it with a specified replacement string.
Report generation	The process of generating reports.
Reserved word	Words that have a special meaning and function within a computer system or language.
Résumé	A brief account of one's work experience and qualifications, often submitted with an employment application.
Revenue	Income. That which returns or comes back from an investment.
REVOKE privilege	The right to take away privileges granted to other users.
RIGHT OUTER JOIN	Performs a join on two tables, retrieves all the rows in the Right table even if there is no match in the Left table.  The WHERE clause lists the Left and Right tables.
Robust	Powerfully built; sturdy.
Role	A named group of related privileges that can be granted to the user.
ROLLBACK	Ends the current transaction by discarding all pending data changes
ROLLBACK TO SAVEPOINT	Rolls back the current transaction to the specified savepoint, thereby discarding any changes and or savepoints created after the savepoint to which you are rolling back.
ROUND	Rounds the column, expression, or value to a set number of decimal places.
Row	Represents all data required for an instance. An entry in a table, consisting of values for each appropriate column.
ROWID	Hexadecimal string representing the unique address of a row in its table.
ROWNUM	A pseudocolumn which assigns a sequential value starting with 1 to each of the rows returned from the subquery.
RPAD	Pads the character value left-justified to a total width of a specified character positions.
RR date format	Century value depends on the specified year and the last two digits of the current year.
S
SAVEPOINT	Marks a savepoint within the current transaction
Scalability	The ease with which a system or component can be modified to fit the problem area.
Schema	A collection of objects that are the logical structures that directly refers to the data in the database.
Scheme	A chart, diagram, or outline of a system or object.
Script files	Saved SQL statements.
Second Normal Form (2NF)	The output of the second step of database normalization. Second Normal Form eliminates functional dependencies on a partial key by putting the fields in a separate table from those that are dependent on the whole key.
Secondary UID	An alternate unique identifier for an entity, when there is more than one UID available.
Security	The protection of data against unauthorized access.
SELECT	Statement used to extract data from the database using SQL.
Selection	The capability in SQL to choose the rows in a table returned from a query.
Self Join	Joins a table to itself.
Semi-colon(;) and forward slash (/)	Markers for the end of the statement.
Sequences	Generates a numeric value.
SET UNUSED	Marks one or more columns as unused so that they can be dropped when the demand on system resources is lower.
SGA	System Global Area; an area of memory used for the database information shared by the Users.
Sharable	An object that can be shared by multiple users.
Simple UID	A unique identifier that is composed of one attribute.
Simple view	Derives data from a table, no functions or groups, performs DML operations through the view.
Single-row functions	These functions operate on single rows only and return one result per row.
Single-row subquery	Returns only one row from the inner SELECT statement.
Softbox	A four-sided visual element with rounded corners. This is used to represent an entity in an entity-relationship diagram.
Software	The programs, routines, and symbolic languages that control the functioning of the hardware and direct its operation.
Sort	To arrange according to class, kind, or size.
Source document	Written or printed material that is used and/or produced by the business and which analysts can use to determine information requirements.
SQL	Structured Query Language, an industry-standard language for creating, updating and, querying relational database management systems.
Stakeholder	One who has a share or an interest, as in a business enterprise or project.
START WITH	Specifies the first sequence number to be generated.
Statement	Is a combination of two or more clauses.
STDDEV	Calculates standard deviation ignoring null values.
Stellar	Outstanding.
String	A group of character data.
Structural business rule	A structural business rule indicates the types of information to be stored and how the information elements interrelate.
Subentity	Synonymous with subtype.  A type of entity.  An entity may be split into two or more subentities, each of which has common attributes and/or relationships.  Subentities may have attributes and/or relationships of their own and may be further subtyped to lower levels.
Subquery	Is a SELECT statement that is embedded in a clause of another SELECT statement.
Subset	A set whose members are members of another set; a set contained within another set.
SUBSTR	Returns specified characters from character value starting at a specified character position and going specified character positions long.
Subtype	Synonymous with subentity. A type of entity. An entity may be split into two or more subtypes, each of which has common attributes and/or relationships. Subtypes may have attributes and/or relationships of their own and may be further subtyped to lower levels.
SUM	Calculates the sum ignoring null values.
Supernatural	Of or relating to existence outside the natural world. Of or relating to the miraculous.
Synonym	An expression that serves as a figurative or symbolic substitute for another, or gives alternative names to objects.
Supertype	A means of classifying an entity that has subtypes.
Syntax	The rules governing the formation of statements in a programming language.
SYSDATE	A function that returns the current database server date and time.
System crash	A sudden failure of a program or operating system, usually without serious consequences.
System development life cycle (SDLC)	The overall process of developing information systems through a multi-step process from investigation of initial requirements through analysis, design, implementation and maintenance. There are many different models and methodologies, but each generally consists of a series of defined steps or stages.
System privileges	The right to access the database and its objects.
System security	Covers access and use of the database at the system level.
T
Table	An orderly arrangement of data, especially one in which the data are arranged in columns and rows in an essentially rectangular form, or stores data, basic unit of storage, composed of rows and columns. It is often an implementation of an entity.
Table level constraint	References one or more columns and is defined separately from the definitions of the columns in the table.
Tangible	Perceptible by the senses especially the sense of touch.
Terabytes	A unit of computer memory or data storage capacity equal to 1,024 gigabytes (240 bytes).  One trillion bytes.
Theoretical	Restricted to theory; not physical.
Third Normal Form (3NF)	The output of the third step of database normalization. Third Normal Form eliminates functional dependencies on non-key fields by putting them in a separate table. At this stage, all non-key fields are dependent on the key, the whole key and nothing but the key.
Time-related constraint	A constraint or data restriction that results from the time dimension.
TIMESTAMP	Allows the time to be stored as a date with fractional seconds.
TO_CHAR function	Converts dates or numbers to character strings with optional formatting.
TO_DATE function	Converts a character string representing a date to a date value with optional formatting.
TO_NUMBER function	Converts a character string containing digits to a number with optional formatting.
TOP-n analysis	Asks for the N largest or smallest values in a column.
Totem	An animal, plant, or natural object serving among certain tribal or traditional peoples as the emblem of a clan or family and sometimes revered as its founder, ancestor, or guardian. A representation of such an object.
Transaction	Consists of a collection of DML statements that form a logical unit of work.
Transferable	Property of a relationship between A and B,  where an instance of A is related to an instance of B, and the association can be moved to another instance of B. This is normally determined by the business rules.
Transform	To change. To transform the conceptual model to a relational design is to exchange the elements of an ERD (entities, attributes, relationships) with database elements (tables, attributes, foreign keys).
Transitive dependency	A condition that exists when any attribute in an entity is dependent upon any other non-UID attribute in that entity. This is a violation of third normal form.
TRIM	Enables you to remove heading or trailing characters (or both) from a character string.
TRUNC	Truncates the column, expression, or value to a set number of decimal places.
TRUNCATE TABLE	Used to remove all rows from a table and to release the storage spaced used by the table.
Tuple	Row; record.
U
Unique identifier (UID)	Any combination of attributes and/or relationships that serves, in all cases, to uniquely identify an occurrence of an entity.
Unique key	An integrity constraint that requires every value in a column or set of columns be unique. A set of columns within a table that is used to enforce uniqueness of rows, and that is an alternate means by which rows are accessed.
UPDATE	Modifies existing rows in a table.
UPPER	Converts alpha character values to uppercase.
URL	Uniform resource locator, an Internet address usually consisting of the access protocol (http), the domain name (www.hmco.com), and optionally the path to a file or resource residing on that server (trade).
USER	Someone doing "real work" with the computer, using it as a means rather than an end.
User acceptance testing (UAT)	The type of testing where monitored users determine whether a system meets all their requirements, and will support the business for which it was designed.
User table	Tables created by the user.
USING clause	Performs an equijoin based on the same specified column name.
V
VARCHAR2(size)	An Oracle Corporation datatype. (Size) refers to the maximum number of characters. Specifically, it is a variable-length, alpha-numeric string with a maximum length of 4000 bytes. If data entered for a column of type VARCHAR2 is less than 4000 bytes, no spaces will be padded; the data is stored with a length as entered. If data entered is more than 4000 bytes, an error occurs. It differs from char in that it makes more efficient use of physical storage inside the database.  Space is allocated for the actual number characters, as opposed to the maximum specified by (size).
VARCHAR2 data type	Stores variable-length strings.
Variable	A quantity capable of assuming any of a set of values.  A symbol representing such a quantity.
VARIANCE	Calculates the variance ignoring null values.
Venn diagram	A diagram using circles to represent sets, with the position and overlap of the circles indicating the relationships between the sets.
Venture capitalist (VC)	A speculator who makes money available for innovative projects (especially in high technology.)
View	A table of logical subsets or combinations of data based on a table or another view.
Volatile	Tending to vary often or widely, highly changeable.
W
WHERE clause	Restricts the rows returned by a select statement.
White space	Space on a page or poster not covered by print or graphic matter.
Wildcard	A symbol that stands for one unspecified character, used especially in searching text.  The percentage sign (%) and the underscore (_) are SQL wildcards.
WITH CHECK OPTION-	Prohibits changing rows that are not in the subquery, or specifies that INSERTS and UPDATES performed through the view can't create rows which the view cannot select.
WITH GRANT OPTION	Allows the grantee to grant the object privileges to other users and roles.
WITH READ ONLY	Ensures that no DML operations can occur.
WW date format	Numeric week of the year.
X Y Z
YYYY date format	Full year in numbers.