aufgezeichnet

Aufgezeichnet is the past participle of the German verb aufzeichnen. In general usage it serves as an adjective meaning “recorded” or “documented” and is used to indicate that information, events, or data have been captured or committed to a recording medium or a written record. This form is common in journalism, science, administration, and legal contexts.

Etymology: The word is formed from the prefix auf- meaning “onto” or “upon” and the verb zeichnen, which means “to draw” or “to mark.” The sense developed from marking onto a surface to recording information on a medium or in a log.

Usage examples: “Das Gespräch wurde aufgezeichnet” (The conversation was recorded). “Die Messdaten wurden aufgezeichnet.” “Die Route wurde aufgezeichnet.” In computing and data management, “aufgezeichnete Daten” refers to data that have been logged or captured, while in documentation contexts, “aufgezeichnete Notizen” means notes that were written down.

Grammatical notes: As a past participle, aufgezeichnet forms compound tenses with haben or sein in German perfect constructions: “ist aufgezeichnet worden” or “hat aufgezeichnet.” It can function attributively (das aufgezeichnete Material) or predicatively. It is not interchangeable with the present-tense aufzeichnen, which denotes the act of recording in real time.

See also: zeichnen, aufzeichnen (verb), aufnehmen, archivieren.