Recordlike

Recordlike is an adjective used to describe objects, representations, or phenomena that resemble a record in some respect. The term does not refer to a specific standard but to features associated with records—such as preservation of information, a discrete unit, or a handle for retrieval.

In information technology and data management, recordlike describes data structures where each unit captures a complete, self-contained set of fields about an entity, analogous to a row in a database table. In archival studies and museology, it can describe artifacts that function as records by preserving information about events, provenance, or ownership.

In music and media technology, recordlike can describe a digital item or interface that imitates or evokes the form or function of a vinyl record, or media that preserves a complete auditory or metadata record.

The term is not a formal technical category; its meaning is context-dependent. It is most often used descriptively in specialized fields and journalism rather than as a defined concept.

Related ideas include record, archival record, data entry, data record, and metadata.