informat

Informat is a term encountered in some languages and historical contexts to denote information or information processing, and in certain uses it functions as a shorthand for informatics or information-related studies. In contemporary English and in most technical vocabularies, the standalone word informatic concepts are usually expressed with informatics, information science, or information technology, and informant as a noun is not standard. When informat appears, it tends to be in institutional materials such as course catalogs or library classifications where it signals a connection to information-related disciplines.

The precise meaning of informat varies by language and era. Its roots lie in shared cognate forms related to information, information processing, and the study of information systems. Because of this variability, informat does not have a single canonical definition and is not a standardized term in modern international usage. In many cases it is encountered as a historical or regional variant rather than as a current, widely used label.

In practice, discussions about informatics, information science, and information technology address how information is represented, stored, processed, and applied across domains. Informatics typically emphasizes the interdisciplinary study of information and computing, including the design of information systems and the analysis of data in real-world contexts. See also informatics, information science, information technology, data science.