Phrase guide

file allocation table

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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No pronunciation record was provided for this word.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A table used internally by the operating system to keep track of the structure of a disk and where files are stored on it.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Topics: computing, engineering, mathematics, natural-sciences, physical-sciences, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

the part of a floppy disk or hard disk where information is stored about the location of each piece of information on the disk (and about the location of unusable areas of the disk)

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: table, tabular array

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

6 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 文件配置表 (wénjiàn pèizhì biǎo) — a computer file system architecture and industry standard
  • Finnish: tilanvaraustaulukko — a computer file system architecture and industry standard
  • Irish: tábla leithdháilte comhad — a computer file system architecture and industry standard
  • Japanese: ファイル・アロケーション・テーブル (fairu-arokēshon-tēburu) — a computer file system architecture and industry standard
  • Russian: табли́ца размеще́ния фа́йлов (tablíca razmeščénija fájlov) — a computer file system architecture and industry standard
  • Swedish: filallokeringstabell — a computer file system architecture and industry standard