Data Warehouse term: Refers to how tables are used in constructing queries.
The table types "Fact" and "Dimension" refer to how tables are used in constructing queries.
A Fact table is typically the center of a subject area and contains values which are to be measured by a query (e.g. Purchase Order Dollar Amount, Financial Transaction Actual Amount, Count of Students, Test Score). Information which is to be summed and totaled on a report usually resides in the central Fact table.
A Dimension table typically contains master data (such as GL Accounts, Cost Collectors, Academic Terms, Department Names). Dimension tables are used to provide different groupings or categorizations on a report and to limit queries by choosing only the desired sets of data (e.g. choosing a particular fiscal period or small set of account numbers).