ISP

American  

abbreviation

1. internet service provider: a company that offers access to the internet and to email, usually for a monthly fee.

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ISP British  

abbreviation

1. internet service provider, a business providing its customers with connection to the internet and other related services

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Etymology

Origin of ISP

First recorded in 1990–95

Example Sentences

Cox Communications, a major broadband ISP, had asked the top court to throw out a jury verdict awarding $1 billion in damages to Sony Music Entertainment and other record labels.

From Barron's • Mar. 25, 2026

In a unanimous 9-0 ruling, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Cox and said an ISP was liable "only if it intended that the provided service be used for infringement."

From Barron's • Mar. 25, 2026

One could reasonably argue that it is better to be spied on by an ISP than by a potentially shady VPN company.

From Salon • Mar. 11, 2026

What the ISP says about their needs determines which layer of support they will receive.

From BBC • Feb. 23, 2026

It generally works like magic, even though it's got millions of moving parts -- every ISP runs a DNS server, as do most governments and lots of private operators.

From Little Brother by Doctorow, Cory