Word that means "reduce to unique parts"


I'm working on a program that essentially removes all duplicates from a list, i.e. reducing the list to its unique components. Is there a single word or small compound word that conveys this transformation?



Answer



Deduplication is the standard term for removing extra duplicate copies from a data set, such that remaining items appear once each.


Much of the usage of deduplication before about 1980, as shown by ngrams, corresponds to its meaning as a biological term. (E.g., 1847: "This is regarded as a deduplication of the original organ ... this is regarded as a collateral deduplication of three staminal organs, ...").


Regarding its meaning as applied to data files, I believe deduplication entered common use in connection with Z39.50 efforts during the late 1970's or early 1980's.


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