Meanings
plural Slashdot effects
- InternetThe phenomenon whereby a site is overwhelmed by traffic after being linked to by a site with a larger audience.
Synonyms: slashdotting
Synonyms & antonyms
nounThe phenomenon whereby a site is overwhelmed by traffic after being linked to by a site with a larger audience.
Origin
After Slashdot, a web site that commonly links to other, smaller sites, which can cause the eponymous effect.
Full word history & related roots →Cite this entry
Slashdot effect. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 3, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Slashdot%20effect
“Slashdot effect.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Slashdot%20effect. Accessed November 3, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “Slashdot effect,” accessed November 3, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/Slashdot%20effect.
Source: Slashdot effect on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.