Internet Vocabulary: Abbreviations

Posted by: Tara Benwell
Learn what Internet abbreviations stand for. It will help you remember the meaning.

The Internet is full of abbreviations. As you probably know, www stands for “world wide web”. An abbreviation is a short form of a long word. Knowing the full word may help you remember the vocabulary. Here are 5 abbreviations you need to know and understand when using the Internet in English:

  1. URL: Uniform Resource Locator (noun): the address of a web page
    Ex: The URL of this site is https://www.englishclub.com.
  2. HTML: Hypertext Markup Language (noun): tags and code used to write pages for viewing on the Internet
    Ex: Learn some basic HTML before you create your own web page.
  3. IM: Instant Message (verb or noun): to chat with others who are online and logged into the same program
    Ex: You can IM your friends if they are on Facebook at the same time as you.
  4. DM: Direct Message (verb or noun): to send a message to a person’s inbox in a network
    Ex: If you have something private to say on twitter, send a DM instead of a public tweet.
  5. SEO: Search Engine Optimization (noun): tricks for getting more visitors to your web page
    Ex: Choosing strong keywords is important for SEO.

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Written by Tara Benwell for EnglishClub | November 2009
Tara Benwell is a Canadian freelance writer and editor who specializes in materials and articles for the ELT industry.
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