bulletin board

[bool-i-tn bawrd, -tin]

noun

1. a board for the posting of bulletins, notices, announcements, etc.

2. Also called bulletin board system. Digital Technology.,  BBS

   1. an online collection of electronic messages, posted by and accessible to any authorized user.

   2. a system, facility, or computer server for collecting and relaying these messages.

bulletin board

noun

1. Also called (in Britain and certain other countries): notice board. a board on which notices, advertisements, bulletins, etc, are displayed

2. computing a facility on a computer network allowing any user to leave messages that can be read by any other user, and to download software and information to the user's own computer

bulletin board

1. An electronic communication system that allows users to send or read electronic messages, files, and other data that are of general interest and addressed to no particular person. Bulletin boards were widely used before the Internet became popular, and many of their functions are now served by websites and newsgroups for specific topics or groups.

Word History and Origins

Origin of bulletin board¹

An Americanism dating back to 1825–35

Idioms and Phrases

Also, electronic bulletin board. A computer service that provides facilities for people to leave messages by phone or telecomputing. For example, The National Writers Union has a bulletin board through which members communicate via their modems. Both the device and the term, alluding to the older board for posting notices, date from the late 1970s.