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Language Foundation

export

to transfer data from a software program or system to a file, another program, or another system for use outside the original one.

In plain English

It means moving data out of the program where it currently exists so it can be used elsewhere. The data is sent to a file or to a different program or system instead of remaining only in the original one.

In context

Here, export names the action of transferring the current document's data from the software into an output file for use outside that software.

Situation
Creating, saving, sharing, versioning, and restoring files
What it communicates
labels the action for creating an output file from the current document.

Meaning limits

By itself, export does not say what file format is produced or what happens to the original document.

Examples

“The researcher exported the table from the statistics program to a text file.”

Core meaning

“At the end of the session, the current document was exported to an output file.”

In context

  • import Opposite

    In this computing sense, import moves data into a program or system, while export moves it out for use elsewhere.