inode
This term is a technical portmanteau of index node, used almost exclusively within the context of computer science and operating system administration. It refers to the internal bookkeeping mechanism of a filesystem rather than the user-facing file itself. Because an inode stores metadata, a filesystem can run out of inodes even if there is still physical disk space available, leading to a specific type of system error where no new files can be created.
In professional technical documentation, the term is treated as a standard countable noun. It is rarely used outside of discussions regarding Unix, Linux, or similar filesystem architectures, and would be considered jargon in a general business or casual conversation.
Meanings
A data structure in a Unix-style file system that describes a file-system object such as a file or a directory, storing metadata including file size, owner, and permissions, but not the file name or the actual data.
The system administrator noticed that the disk was full because the filesystem had run out of available inodes.