wiki

American  

[wik-ee] / ˈwɪk i /

noun

plural

wikis

1. (sometimes initial capital letter) a website that allows users to add, delete, or revise content by using a web browser: Students who contribute to the class review wiki may earn extra credit points on their exams.

   The wiki has character descriptions and image galleries for every game in the franchise.

   Students who contribute to the class review wiki may earn extra credit points on their exams.

   Research and development team members should all have permission to edit the design wikis for all current projects.

2. Also called wiki application.  Also called wiki engine,.  the software used to create a wiki.

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adjective

1. of, relating to, or being a wiki.

   wiki servers.

wiki British  

/ ˈwɪkɪ /

noun

1. 1. a web application that allows anyone visiting a website to edit content on it

   2. ( as modifier )

      wiki technology

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Etymology

Origin of wiki

First recorded in 1990–95; shortening of WikiWikiWeb, a software program developed by Howard G. “Ward” Cunningham (born 1949), U.S. computer programmer; from Hawaiian wikiwiki “very quick,” emphatic reduplication of wiki “quick.” Cunningham coined the name WikiWikiWeb after recalling that a Honolulu International Airport counter employee advised him to take the Wiki Wiki Shuttle (a shuttle bus that runs between the terminals of the airport); his original idea was to make WikiWikiWeb's pages readily editable by its users and initially thought about calling his program QuickWeb but changed his mind and named it WikiWikiWeb

Example Sentences

Together with a team of more than 500 volunteers, Skinner built a wiki that combines incidents, agents, vehicles, and public data related to ICE.

From Slate • Jan. 28, 2026

That means the specific wiki text influences what information is spit out by Google search results and A.I.-generated descriptions.

From Slate • Jun. 4, 2024

In 2010, it became a moderated wiki and now is run by about 170 international volunteer editors who wrangle 50 or more new submissions a day.

From New York Times • May 21, 2023

No one on the paid design team was around 12 years ago when the last skin was made, and only some of them were involved with the wiki communities before they were hired.

From Slate • Jan. 18, 2023

But my heart sinks quickly—there’s no signal, no way for me to pull up the wiki.

From "The Manifestor Prophecy" by Angie Thomas