DELETE

Delete is the act of removing something, making it inaccessible or no longer existing in its original location. The term derives from Latin delētus, the past participle of delēre, meaning to erase.

In computing, deletion typically refers to removing a data item such as a file, record, or object. In file systems, deleting a file usually removes its directory entry and may not erase the data immediately. Many systems move items to a trash, recycle bin, or similar area to allow recovery; a permanent delete overwrites or frees the data blocks, depending on the filesystem and configuration.

In databases, the SQL DELETE statement removes rows from a table, often subject to constraints and referential integrity. Related rows can be deleted automatically through cascade rules. TRUNCATE removes all rows from a table more efficiently but is typically less flexible and may be less recoverable in certain systems. DROP removes the table structure itself.

In programming languages, delete is a keyword or operator used to reclaim memory or destroy an object. Its behavior varies: in C++, delete frees memory allocated with new; in languages with automatic garbage collection, explicit deletion is usually unnecessary and unsupported.

Privacy and data protection contexts treat deletion or erasure as removing personal data upon request. Laws such as the GDPR require data controllers to process erasure requests in certain circumstances, distinguishing between logical deletion (marking data as deleted) and physical deletion (irreversible data removal), with secure deletion practices to prevent recovery. Deletion thus spans technical, legal, and ethical dimensions across systems and disciplines.