In a database, what are data collections organized by the database administrator called?

The organization of data collections in a database by the database administrator is best described by the term "tables." Tables serve as the fundamental building blocks of a relational database, where data is structured in rows and columns. Each row, or record, contains all the information related to a specific entity, while each column, or field, represents a specific attribute of that entity.

The use of tables allows for efficient data storage, retrieval, and management, as they can be easily queried and manipulated using structured query language (SQL). This structured approach is crucial for maintaining data integrity and establishing relationships between different datasets, which can enhance the overall performance of the database management system.

Understanding the concept of tables is fundamental to grasping how data is organized within a database, and it helps illustrate the distinction between various database components, such as fields, records, and files.