20 Computer and Internet Vocabulary Words (part 2)

blog home

Recently we shared ten words that have evolved in meaning as technology has advanced, here are ten more: 

  1. refresh
    Refresh is the verb used to describe the act of reloading the data on a webpage (usually to see if any new information has been added). 
    We refreshed the page to check the score. 
     
  2. spam
    Spam refers to unwanted email or messages.
    Have you checked your spam folder? 
     
  3. stream
    A stream is a continuous flow of video or audio information that is transmitted over the internet. The word is also used as a verb to describe the act of watching or listening to something in this way.
    We streamed the show on Netflix. 
     
  4. surf
    Surf is another watery word that has been repurposed over the years. Originally used to describe the act of switching television channels, surf was also used in the early days of the internet to describe the act of looking up information on various websites. Today the word browse is more common. 
    I passed the time surfing the net. 
     
  5. tab
    A tab is one of several small clickable labels at the top of an internet browser that allows you to switch between multiple open webpages. 
    He opened a new tab to look up the news. 
     
  6. thread
    A thread is a progression of responses to an original post.  
    While she found the answer she was looking for in the first post, she felt compelled to read the whole thread. 
     
  7. traffic
    Web traffic is the amount of data sent and received by visitors on a particular website. 
    The analyst monitored the site traffic and looked for trends. 
     
  8. troll
    A troll is someone who posts inflammatory comments about someone online. The word can also be used as a verb.
    Sometimes people create anonymous accounts so that they can troll others. 
     
  9. viral
    If something has gone viral it means it is extremely popular and has been widely shared in a short amount of time. 
    We couldn’t believe video went viral. 
     
  10. web
    The web is a way of receiving information using the internet via a system of interlinked documents (webpages).
    Did you know that 'www' stands for 'world wide web'? 


Can you think of any more words that have evolved thanks to the internet? Let us know in the comments! 


07 May 2020
blog home

"Thank goodness for Spellzone during this remote learning phase. The site is easy for students to navigate independently and they're really enjoying the activities and spelling games. You get an awful lot for your money with Spellzone. Really reassuring is the very prompt response with helpdesk queries. I've very rarely needed the helpdesk, but when I have, the issue has been addressed and sorted within a very short time."

Sarah Taggart, Oasis Academy Lord's Hill