How is an entity defined in the context of a database?

In the context of a database, an entity is defined as a person, place, or thing about which information is stored. This concept relates to how databases are structured to represent real-world items or concepts that hold significance in a given application. An entity typically has attributes that describe its characteristics and is represented as a table in a relational database, where each row corresponds to a single instance of the entity, and each column represents an attribute of that entity.

For example, in an employee database, "Employee" can be an entity representing individuals working in a company. The attributes could include Employee ID, Name, Department, and Hire Date. This focus on entities helps in structuring data in a way that reflects the relationships and attributes pertinent to the business rules in a systematic way, facilitating effective data retrieval and management.

Using this understanding, the definition aligns closely with data modeling practices and enhances one's ability to conceptualize the organization of data in a relational database system.