In the context of a database, what is a column used to store a category of data called?

In the context of a database, a column that is used to store a category of data is referred to as a "field." Each field in a database table contains specific pieces of information that are related to the overall record. For instance, in a table that stores information about students, fields might include "Student Name," "Date of Birth," and "Grade Level," where each field represents a different attribute of the student data.

The term "record" refers to a complete set of related data entries within a table, encompassing all the fields for a single entry, such as all details for one student. A "table" is a collection of related records organized into rows and columns, essentially acting as a structured dataset within the database. "Data type" refers to the specific type of data that can be stored in a field, such as integer, string, or date, but does not describe the function of a column in terms of categorizing data. Therefore, the designation of a column as a field is accurate as it specifically indicates its role in storing a category of data.