internet

The noun is a variant of Internet. The verb is derived from the noun.^[1]

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈɪntəˌnɛt/
• (General American) enPR: ĭnʹtərnĕt', IPA^(key): /ˈɪn(t)ɚˌnɛt/, ,

• Audio (General American):

  (file)

• Hyphenation: in‧ter‧net

the internet

1. Alternative letter-case form of Internet (“the specific internet consisting of a global network of computers that communicate using Internet Protocol (IP) and that use Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) to identify the best paths to route those communications”)
   • 2013 June 21, Oliver Burkeman, “Conscious computing: How to take control of your life online”, in Alan Rusbridger, editor, The Guardian‎, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 13 March 2022:

     The dirty secret of the internet is that all this distraction and interruption is immensely profitable. Web companies like to boast about "creating compelling content", or offering services that let you "stay up to date with what your friends are doing", "share the things you love with the world" and so on.

   • 2024 May 4, John Naughton, “The internet is in decline – it needs rewilding”, in The Guardian‎:

     He was able to do this because the internet, which had been publicly available since January 1983, enabled it.

2. Alternative letter-case form of Internet (“global community of individuals communicating via the Internet”)

   As soon as the trailer was released, the internet went nuts.

   • 2015, Emojis: the secret behind the smile, page 41:

     In 2014, a hot dog entrepreneur, Laura Ustick, general manager of Superdawg in Chicago, Illinois, asked the internet to get behind her in support of the Emoji Hot Dog.

   • 2016, Star Tribune 2016-10-19, page 5:

     On Friday, as the internet reacted to the video of Thomas getting arrested for walking in the street, the city rushed out a statement explaining what happened around noon last Wednesday.

   • 2021, The Complete Guide to Digital Marketing for Museums, page 64:

     One of their most recognised challenges was posting a photo of an animal from their collection and challenging users to Photoshop that image into other paintings. @TheMERL gave the call to action and the internet answered.

• See the usage notes at Internet.

internet (countable and uncountable, plural internets)

1. (uncountable) Internet access or connection; internet connectivity.

   Do you have internet at your place? My internet is down and I want to check my email.

2. (countable) Any set of computer networks that communicate using the Internet Protocol; an intranet.
3. (Internet slang, humorous) A fictitious unit of scoring awarded for making outstanding posts on the internet.
   • 2008 April 5, “Anonology”, “Narconon Exposed tonight on Canadian TV”, in alt.religion.scientology‎ (Usenet):

     You did a nice job there Patty … you came off as intelligent, well-spoken, and concerned about the well being of the victims, in stark contrast to the self-serving, uncaring, unconcerned attitude of the Narconon spokeswoman. 100 internets for you!

   • 2010 August 7, “Bilbo”, “Looking for a Billiard”, in alt.smokers.pipes‎ (Usenet):

     I have been looking through CupOJoes and kind of want something dark with a silver band between the bit and the bowl [of the pipe]. That's not a must, but 1000 internets go to the first person to find one.

   • 2011 November 12, David Johnston, “What Did You Watch? 2011-11-10 (Thursday)”, in rec.arts.tv‎ (Usenet):

     You win one internet.

   • 2011 October 14, [email protected], “10 Not So Insanely Great Things Apple Released Under Steve Jobs”, in rec.sport.pro-wrestling‎ (Usenet):

     I hope this is sarcastic. Otherwise -100 internets for you.

   • 2013 February 26, Devon H. O’Dell, “ Ancient History: ‘Electronic Mail Without Aliases’”, in comp.os.plan9‎ (Usenet):

     Do I win an internet?

The lowercase spelling "internet" is much more common in popular usage than the capitalized spelling "Internet", whereas, among the ISP companies, the capitalized spelling is still the more-typical form.

• cable internet
• dead internet theory
• internet linguistics
• internet of things
• interweb, interwebs

• Appendix:English internet slang
• Web

internet (third-person singular simple present internets, present participle internetting, simple past and past participle internetted)

1. (intransitive, Internet, informal) To use the internet; specifically, to search for information by using the internet.

   Having no idea what that means, I am internetting like mad.

   • 2002, Soshana Keiny, “The Conceptual Framework of the Book”, in Ecological Thinking: A New Approach to Educational Change, Lanham, Md., New York, N.Y.: University Press of America, →ISBN, page 14:

     We have several groups of Internetters, from Alaska, from New Zealand, and a group from San Francisco interested in deserts as a context where different faiths developed. Internetting with them could stimulate discussion. Internetting with other countries is seen as a way of broadening the students' areas of interest and triggering their questions.

   • 2005, Vincente L. Rafael, “The Cell Phone and the Crowd: Messianic Politics in the Contemporary Philippines”, in Daniel Rosenberg, Susan Harding, editors, Histories of the Future, Durham, N.C., London: Duke University Press, →ISBN, page 87:

     Most of us, before and after the second uprising, can be found in schools, offices, or factories, going about our everyday lives. Dreaming, working hard for a future. Texting, internetting, entertaining ourselves in the present.

   • 2021, Shirley Goldberg, chapter 15, in Eat Your Heart Out (Starting Over; 2), : The Wild Rose Press, →ISBN:

     I collect cookbooks, too. And recipes, you know, that I've internetted.

• internetter (rare)
• internetting (noun)

From inter- (prefix meaning ‘amid, among; between’) +‎ net (“to form a netting or network”).^[1]

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈɪntəˌnɛt/, /ˌɪntəˈnɛt/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈɪntɚˌnɛt/, /ˌɪntɚˈnɛt/,

• Audio (General American):

  (file)

  (one pronunciation)
• Rhymes: -ɛt
• Hyphenation: in‧ter‧net

internet (third-person singular simple present internets, present participle internetting, simple past and past participle internetted) (transitive, intransitive)

1. (archaic, rare) To entwine or link (several things) together, so as to form a network; to interconnect, to network.

   Synonym: interweave

   • 1856 March, John O’Fallon et al., “Article IV. Report on the ‘Overland Mail’ from Missouri to California.”, in M. Tarver, H. Cobb, editors, The Western Journal and Civilian, Devoted to Agriculture, Manufactures, Mechanic Arts, Internal Improvement, Commerce, Public Policy, and Polite Literature, volume XV, number 4, St. Louis, Mo.: M. Niedner & Co., , →OCLC, page 250:

     A railroad performs in a single day as much work as a ship in a whole year. This is done, too, in the midst of society, internetted among the cities, the farms, the dwellings of the people.

   • 1862 September, “The Two Sicilies in 1862. ”, in [Charles Patrick Meehan], editor, Duffy’s Hibernian Sixpenny Magazine, volume II (New Series), number 9, Dublin, London: James Duffy, , →OCLC, page 284:

     With 1849 began the organization of the secret societies, which, regulated from Piedmont, internetted the entire southern peninsula.

   • 1864 November 1, Elihu Burritt, “Material Bonds of Peace”, in Bond of Brotherhood, number 172 (New Series), London: Job Caudwell, ; Simpkin, Marshall & Co. and Kent & Co., →OCLC, page 370:

     Thus silent and imperceptible is the webwork of material interests which are internetting the great family of nations with the bonds of peace.

   • 1909 November 13, H. P. FitzGerald Marriott, “Correspondence. The Wonders of Tropical Africa.”, in The Spectator: A Weekly Review of Politics, Literature, Theology, and Art, volume 103, number 4,246, London: F. C. Westley, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 780, column 1:

     As the light filters through some gap in the topmost boughs into the damp atmosphere, it magnifies and confuses the foliage, and lights up thousands of monkey-ropes, or lianas, that hang from every branch through the forests and which stretch without beginning and without end, hanging loosely like gymnasium ropes, or swung up again in a giant loop, often twisting into fantastic knots as it internets with some other portion of the mighty cable.

   • 1913 June 9, Hermann Edward Hasse, “Systematic Treatment”, in The Lichen Flora of Southern California (Smithsonian Institution, Bulletin of the United States National Museum, Contributions from the United States National Herbarium; 17, part 1), Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, →OCLC, page 11:

     ARTHROPYRENIA. Mass. Paraphyses loosely branching and internetting or absent; spores 2 to 6-locular, colorless, ovoid or oblong.

   • 2002 January, Rameshwar K. Sharma, “Evolution of the Membrane Guanylate Cyclase Transduction System”, in Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry: An International Journal for Chemical Biology in Health and Disease, volume 230, number 1, Kluwer Academic Publishers, →DOI, →ISBN, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 12, column 2:

     These studies finally resulted in the discovery of a membrane guanylate cyclase transduction system that is internetted with seven transmembrane receptor signaling system.

   • 2004, “Phase I Report: Operational Test Design and Evaluation of the Interim Armored Vehicle”, in Improved Operational Testing and Evaluation and Methods of Combining Test Information for the Stryker Family of Vehicles and Related Army Systems: Phase II Report, Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press, →ISBN, page 118:

     The synergistic effects achieved by internetting highly trained soldiers and leaders with platforms and organizational design enable the force to avoid surprise, develop rapid decisions, control the time and place to engage in combat, conduct precision maneuver, shape the battlespace with precision fires and effects, and achieve decisive outcomes.

2. (specifically, networking) To connect (a computer, an electronic device, etc.) into a computer network (in particular, the Internet).
   • 1966 February 14, Robert S McNamara (witness), “Statement of the Secretary of Defense”, in Department of Defense Appropriations for 1967: Hearings before a Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations, House of Representatives, Eighty-ninth Congress, Second Session Part 1 , Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, →OCLC, page 59:

     We are continuing our program of internetting our radar system with that of the Federal Aviation Agency.

   • 1975 March 7, Malcolm R Currie (witness), “Statement of Dr. Malcolm R. Currie, Director, Defense Research and Engineering, Accompanied by Laurin A. Knutson, Assistant Director (Programing) O.D.D.R. & E.”, in Fiscal Year 1976 and July–September 1976 Transition Period Authorization for Military Procurement, Research and Development, and Active Duty, Selected Reserve, and Civilian Personnel Strengths: Hearings before the Committee on Armed Services, United States Senate, Ninety-forth Congress, First Session on S. 920 Part 6: Research and Development , Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, →OCLC, page 2756:

     More efficient means of internetting the computers in the system must also be developed.

   • 1981 September 29, Stephen J Lukasik (witness), “Statement of Stephen J. Lukasik, Chief Scientist, Office of Science and Technology, Federal Communications Commission”, in Emergency Management Information and Technology: Hearings before the Subcommittee on Investigations and Oversight of the Committee on Science and Technology, U.S. House of Representatives, Ninety-seventh Congress, First Session  (no. 55), Washington, D.C.: Government Printing Office, published , →OCLC, page 119:

     Other less dynamic examples of information networks include intelligence or military command centers, internetted with communications including different kinds of voice circuits, (i.e., encrypted and non encrypted), data communications, teletype, facsimile, and the like.

   • 1985 spring, Robert J. DeSutter, Jr., “SALT Nonviolations and the Evolution of a Compliance Policy”, in Robert J. DeSutter, Jr., compiler, Selected Readings and Documents on Postwar American Defense Policy, volume III, [Colorado Springs, Colo.: United States Air Force Academy]; Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, →OCLC, page :

     […] Soviet interceptors have been internetted with radars, enabling the use of early-warning radars to track reentry vehicles for interception. […] he Soviets have evidently internetted their SA-5, not with earlier mechanical radars, but with phased-array systems that are far more adequate for reentry vehice tracking purposes.

   • 1988 February 25, “Breakout”, in The Wall Street Journal, New York, N.Y.: Dow Jones & Company, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 20:

     We hear that Air Force Intelligence has officially concluded the Soviets have rolled production lines to break out of the ABM treaty and deploy a nationwide anti-missile system, which could possibly be in place by next year. […] he Soviets are internetting their early-warning radars […]

   • 1990 April 5, John J. Welch Jr. (witness), Edward R. Bracken (witness), Thomas R. Ferguson (witness), “Missile and Other Procurement, Air Force”, in Department of Defense Appropriations for 1991: Hearings before a Subcommittee of the Committee on Appropriations, House of Representatives, One Hundred First Congress, Second Session: Part 5 , Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office, →OCLC, page 432:

     Question. How will the various radars of the Caribbean Basin Radar Network be internetted together? / Answer. […] These operation centers will also be internetted so as to share surveillance data and coordinate tracking/interdiction efforts.

   • 1996 April–June, Robert J. Bunker, “Internetted Structures and C² Nodes”, in Susan M. Miranda, editor, Military Intelligence Professional Bulletin (PB 34-96-2), volume 2, number 2, Fort Huachuca, Ariz.: U.S. Army Intelligence Center and Fort Huachuca, →OCLC, page 26, column 2:

     An experiment conducted by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the ARPANET experiment sought to explore technologies for the networking of remote research sites. ARPANET sends independent digital packets over networks "internetted" together to pass information.

   • 2000 June, David E Pearson, “WWMCCS Intercomputer Network”, in The World Wide Military Command and Control System: Evolution and Effectiveness, Maxwell Air Force Base, Ala.: Air University Press, →ISBN, page 186:

     Emergency "patches" were applied to WWMCCS's General Comprehensive Operating System software as engineers desperately tried to find a way to work around the limitations of the Honeywell 6000 computers so that the network's nodes could be effectively internetted.

• internetted (adjective)
• internetting (noun)

• renitent

From English Internet.

• Audio:

  (file)

internet (definite accusative interneti, plural internetlər)

1. the Internet, the web

   internet səhifəsi ― webpage

   internet saytı ― internet site

   internet istifadəçisi ― internet user

   internet şəbəkəsi ― the internet network

   internet xidmətləri ― web-based services

   internet resursları ― internet resources

   internet senzurası ― internet censorship

   internet vasitəsilə ― via internet

   internetə girmək ― to go on the internet

   internetə qoşulmaq ― to connect to the internet

   yüksək sürətli internet ― high-speed internet

   geniş zolaqlı internet ― broadband internet

• “internet” in Obastan.com.

• IPA^(key): (Central)
• IPA^(key): (Balearic)
• IPA^(key): (Valencia)

internet m (plural internets)

1. internet

Borrowed from English internet.

• Hyphenation: in‧ter‧net

internet

1. internet
   1. any set of computer networks that communicate using the Internet Protocol
   2. the Internet, the largest global internet
   3. an internet connection, internet connectivity, access to the internet

Borrowed from Russian интернет (internet)

internet

1. internet

• “internet”, in Luğatçıq (in Russian)

Czech Wikipedia has an article on:

internet

Wikipedia ^cs

Borrowed from English Internet.

• IPA^(key):

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: in‧ter‧net

internet m inan

1. the Internet
2. internet (any set of computer networks)

• “internet”, in Internetová jazyková příručka (in Czech), 2008–2025

Borrowed from English Internet.

internet n (singular definite internettet, not used in plural form)

1. internet

• nettet

• internetforbindelse

• WWW, World Wide Web

• Internet (proper noun) (superseded)

Borrowed from English Internet.

• IPA^(key): /ˈɪn.tərˌnɛt/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: in‧ter‧net

internet n (uncountable, diminutive internetje n)

1. Internet (specific internet consisting of the global network of computers)

internet

1. inflection of internetten:
   1. first/second/third-person singular present indicative
   2. imperative

• “internet” in Woordenlijst Nederlandse Taal – Officiële Spelling, Nederlandse Taalunie.
• internet on the Dutch Wikipedia.Wikipedia ^nl

Borrowed from English Internet.

• IPA^(key): /ˈint(ː)ernet/,
• Rhymes: -internet
• Hyphenation^(key): in‧ter‧net

internet

1. internet

• “internet”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎ (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 2023-07-02

English Internet.

• IPA^(key): /ɛ̃.tɛʁ.nɛt/

• Audio:

  (file)

internet m (usually uncountable, plural internets)

1. the Internet

   Il a rencontré beaucoup d’amis sur internet la semaine dernière.

   He met a lot of friends on the internet last week.

• “internet”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé , 2012.

• inertent

Borrowed from English Internet.

internet f (uncountable)

1. internet

Borrowed from English Internet.

• IPA^(key):

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation: in‧ter‧net
• Rhymes: -ɛt

internet (plural internetek)

1. (computing, Internet) Internet (specific internet consisting of the global network of computers)

   Synonym: (informal) net

Borrowed from English internet.

internet n (genitive singular internets, no plural)

1. internet

Indonesian Wikipedia has an article on:

internet

Wikipedia ^id

From English internet.

• IPA^(key):
• Hyphenation: in‧têr‧nèt

internet (uncountable)

1. internet.

• “internet” in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia, Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016.

• Internet

Unadapted borrowing from English internet.

• IPA^(key): /ˈin.terˌnɛt/, /ˌin.terˈnɛt/^[1]
• Rhymes: -ɛt
• Hyphenation: ìn‧ter‧net, in‧ter‧nèt

internet f (uncountable)

1. internet

internet (invariable)

1. (relational) web, internet

• nitrente, trentine

Malay Wikipedia has an article on:

internet

Wikipedia ^ms

Borrowed from English internet.

• (Standard Malaysian) IPA^(key): /intə(r)net/,

internét (Jawi spelling اينترنيت, plural internet-internet, informal 1st possessive internetku, 2nd possessive internetmu, 3rd possessive internetnya)

1. an internet

• “internet” in Pusat Rujukan Persuratan Melayu | Malay Literary Reference Centre, Kuala Lumpur: Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka, 2017.

Unadapted borrowing from English internet.

internet f (usually uncountable, plural internets)

1. Alternative letter-case form of Internet
   • 2009, Raúl Candeloro, A Hora da Virada, Elsevier Brasil, →ISBN, page 58:

     Digamos que eu queira colocar um home theater na sala de minha casa. Posso comprar a televisão em um lugar porque é mais barato, comprar as caixas em outro porque um amigo me indicou, comprar o resto do equipamento num site da internet e receber em casa, e depois tentar montar tudo sozinho.

     (please add an English translation of this quotation)

2. internet (an internet connection, internet connectivity, access to the internet.)

   Estou sem internet. Ultimamente a minha internet tem estado sempre em baixo.

   I have no internet. Lately, my internet is always down.

Borrowed from English Internet.

• IPA^(key): /înternet/
• Hyphenation: in‧ter‧net

ȉnternet m (Cyrillic spelling и̏нтернет)

1. internet

• “internet”, in Hrvatski jezični portal [Croatian language portal] (in Serbo-Croatian), 2006–2025

Borrowed from English Internet.

• IPA^(key):

internet m inan (relational adjective internetový)

1. the Internet
2. internet (any set of computer networks)

• internetista
• internetovať
• internetovo

• “internet”, in Slovníkový portál Jazykovedného ústavu Ľ. Štúra SAV [Dictionary portal of the Ľ. Štúr Institute of Linguistics, Slovak Academy of Science] (in Slovak), https://slovnik.juls.savba.sk, 2003–2025

Borrowed from English Internet.

• IPA^(key): /inteɾˈnet/
• Rhymes: -et
• Syllabification: in‧ter‧net

internet m or f same meaning (uncountable)

1. internet

   lo encontré en internet

   I found it on the internet

• Internet is an ambiguous noun with no definite gender; both el and la are used.

• “internet”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 2024 December 10

Swedish Wikipedia has an article on:

internet

Wikipedia ^sv

• Internet

Borrowed from English Internet.

• IPA^(key): /ˈɪntɛrnɛt/, /ɪntɛrˈnɛt/

• Audio:

  (file)

internet n (indeclinable)

1. internet

• nät

• internet in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• internet in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
• Svensk MeSH

From English internet.

• IPA^(key): /intæɾˈnet/

internet (definite accusative interneti, uncountable)

1. internet

   Synonym: genel ağ