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• internet
  internet

  noun

  Usually the internet (except when used before a noun) a vast computer network linking smaller computer networks worldwide: includes commercial, educational, governmental, and other networks, all of which use the same set of communications protocols.
• Internet
  Internet

  A system connecting computers around the world using TCP/IP, which stands for Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol, a set of standards for transmitting and receiving digital data. The Internet consists primarily of the collection of billions of interconnected webpages that are transferred using HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol), and are collectively known as the World Wide Web. The Internet also uses FTP (File Transfer Protocol) to transfer files, and SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) to transfer e-mail.

internet

American  

[in-ter-net] / ˈɪn tərˌnɛt /

Or Internet

noun

1. Usually the internet (except when used before a noun) a vast computer network linking smaller computer networks worldwide: includes commercial, educational, governmental, and other networks, all of which use the same set of communications protocols.

   They advertised the sale in the local paper and on the internet.

   My insurance company offers incentives to refill prescriptions over the internet.

   Parents are advised to monitor their kids’ internet access and block websites with adult content.

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idioms

1. win the internet, to be or post an article, comment, etc., on the internet that is particularly good or that earns the approval of others (often used sarcastically).

   That perceptive tweet of his won the internet last night.

   Very funny, intelligent tirade—you win the internet!

2. break the internet,

   1. Slang. (of a story, image, etc.) to go viral online and suddenly dominate public interest and discourse.

      Creative marketing for her new album broke the internet.

   2. to cause internet technology or culture to change for the worse or cease to function.

      Could government surveillance and censorship break the internet forever?

internet British  

/ ˈɪntəˌnɛt /

noun

1. Also known as: the Net.  (sometimes with a capital) the single worldwide computer network that interconnects other computer networks, on which end-user services, such as World Wide Web sites or data archives, are located, enabling data and other information to be exchanged

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Internet Scientific  

/ ĭn′tər-nĕt′ /

1. A system connecting computers around the world using TCP/IP, which stands for Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol, a set of standards for transmitting and receiving digital data. The Internet consists primarily of the collection of billions of interconnected webpages that are transferred using HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol), and are collectively known as the World Wide Web. The Internet also uses FTP (File Transfer Protocol) to transfer files, and SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) to transfer e-mail.

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Internet Cultural  

1. The global communication network that allows almost all computers worldwide to connect and exchange information. Some of the early impetus for such a network came from the U.S. government network Arpanet, starting in the 1960s.

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Spelling

The lowercase form internet is now widely favored over the capitalized spelling Internet. Originally, the word was capitalized as a proper noun to distinguish the network that we now know (having developed from the large and specific U.S. Department of Defense ARPANET network) from smaller, more generic linked networks. Two major trends have eroded the former use of the capitalized form: the growing perception of the internet as a generic entity, and the general trend toward lowercase spelling and other shortcuts that minimize keystrokes in digital communication. Accordingly, the lowercase form internet was first embraced in digital media and informal writing. It was subsequently adopted by technology-related publications. Major newspapers and style guides have also now adopted the lowercase form internet as standard. The capitalized spelling may still be found in older published material or in some linguistically conservative publications. However, while either form is acceptable in writing (as long as it is used consistently), the lowercase spelling internet is the form best adapted to its evolving use.

Discover More

Some scholars have argued that the access to massive amounts of information, together with the widespread ability to communicate, has altered the way that human beings perceive reality.

Etymology

Origin of internet

First recorded in 1970–75; shortening of internetwork ( def. )

Compare meaning

How does internet compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• internet vs. intranet
• World Wide Web vs. internet
• interweb vs. internet

Explanation

The internet is a huge computer network made up of smaller computer networks. You're on the internet right now! When you visit a website for news, videos, social networking, email — or even this definition — you’re on the internet. The internet — which is usually, though not always, capitalized — connects computers, allowing you to send and receive information. Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, email, and many other forms of communication could not exist without the internet, which uses TCP/IP network protocols. People get on the internet using computers, smartphones, and other electronic devices. The Internet is also called cyberspace and the net.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

internet Internet

It built the internet when anyone could run a node without permission, inspect the protocols and route traffic.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 27, 2026

In an age before the internet, before social media, before the cable-TV chat shows and before Carville and the like, Reilly came as close to celebrity as a political operative possibly could.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 26, 2026

Much of the interest on the internet circulates around filmmaker Kane Parsons’ viral “found footage” videos on YouTube.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 26, 2026

I’m almost positive this piece existed; and the fact that I couldn’t find any mention of it in the sad, hollowed-out husk of the 2026 internet offers no proof that it didn’t.

From Salon ● Jul. 25, 2026

Only Zara did the funny-tee thing, and all of hers were bad translations from the internet.

From "Maybe He Just Likes You" by Barbara Dee

Given this, Professor of Internet Studies at Western Australia's Curtin University Tama Leaver told the BBC the ban has "failed" in its technical aims.

From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026

“The systems in each voting location are not connected to the Internet or to each other, and many methods for exploiting them rely on physical proximity.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026

“Just as railroads, electric grids, and the Internet reshaped prior economic eras, we believe SpaceX is building the foundational platform for the next generation of industrial capacity,” he wrote.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 7, 2026

Internet users accused the brand of wasting water during the heatwave.

From Barron's ● Jun. 28, 2026

It took her just three minutes on the Internet and two phone calls before I heard Joey’s voice on the other end of the line.

From "Lawn Boy" by Gary Paulsen