cyberspace

American  

[sahy-ber-speys] / ˈsaɪ bərˌspeɪs /

noun

1. the realm of electronic communication.

2. virtual reality.

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cyberspace British  

/ ˈsaɪbəˌspeɪs /

noun

1. all of the data stored in a large computer or network represented as a three-dimensional model through which a virtual-reality user can move

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cyberspace Scientific  

/ sī′bər-spās′ /

1. The electronic medium of computer networks, in which online communication takes place.

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cyberspace Cultural  

1. The space in which computer transactions occur, particularly transactions between different computers. We say that images and text on the Internet exist in cyberspace, for example. The term is also often used in conjunction with virtual reality, designating the imaginary place where virtual objects exist. For example, if a computer produces a picture of a building that allows the architect to “walk” through and see what a design would look like, the building is said to exist in cyberspace.

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Etymology

Origin of cyberspace

First recorded in 1980–85; cyber(netics) ( def. ) + space ; coined by American-Canadian sci-fi author William Gibson (born 1948)

Example Sentences

Whoever provides the gateway to our favorite online services owns one of the most valuable tollbooths in cyberspace, said Gil Luria, an analyst with D.A.

From The Wall Street Journal

AI standards were spelled out in a landmark document, officially implemented last month, that was drafted by cyberspace regulators, cybersecurity police, state labs and China’s leading AI companies, including Alibaba and DeepSeek.

From The Wall Street Journal

By the end of the book, the reader appreciates even better how misleading it is to think of cellphone calls and the internet as a whole as occurring in an abstract elsewhere, a disembodied cyberspace.

From The Wall Street Journal

The North Koreans have not only made their thievery more efficient, but have also refined their money-laundering techniques to the point that the stolen booty disappears into the dark reaches of cyberspace within days.

From Los Angeles Times

The cyberspace regulator started loosening rules for companies that wished to tap computing power abroad for training AI.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• computer network
• information technology
• web