netspeak

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noun

An informal form of written language used on the Internet, characterized by abbreviations and emoticons.

Scrabble 14
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Meanings

nounnetspeak (uncountable)
  1. uncountableAn informal form of written language used on the Internet, characterized by abbreviations and emoticons.

    So, the point of this discussion is not just about the value of proofreading or the intrusion of netspeak—it's about the mistake of not understanding their impact on our ability to communicate with the customer.

    2010, Ralph W. Crosby, It’s The Customer, Stupid!

Origin

From net + -speak, coined by British linguist David Crystal in 2001 who originally wrote it capitalized as "Netspeak".

Full word history & related roots →

Rhymes & wordplay

Anagrams

Stepanek
Cite this entry
APA

netspeak. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/netspeak

MLA

“netspeak.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/netspeak. Accessed November 3, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “netspeak,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/netspeak.

Source: netspeak on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.