Usually, archives.documents or records relating to the activities, business dealings, etc., of a person, family, corporation, association, community, or nation.
2.
archives, a place where public records or other historical documents are kept.
3.
any extensive record or collection of data: The encyclopedia is an archive of world history. The experience was sealed in the archive of her memory.
–verb (used with object)
4.
to place or store in an archive: to vote on archiving the city's historic documents.
Origin: 1595–1605; orig., as pl. < F archives < L archī(v)a < Gk archeîa, orig. pl. of archeîon public office, equiv. to arch() magistracy, office + -eion suffix of place
A place or collection containing records, documents, or other materials of historical interest. Often used in the plural: old land deeds in the municipal archives.
Computer Science
A long-term storage area, often on magnetic tape, for backup copies of files or for files that are no longer in active use.
A file containing one or more files in compressed format for more efficient storage and transfer.
A repository for stored memories or information: the archive of the mind.
tr.v.
ar·chived, ar·chiv·ing, ar·chives
To place or store in an archive.
Computer Science To copy or compress (a file) into an archive.
[From French archives, from Latin archīva, from Greek arkheia, pl. of arkheion, town hall, from arkhē, government, from arkhein, to rule.]
[ahr-kahyv] 
noun, verb, -chived, -chiv⋅ing.
) magistracy, office + -eion suffix of place