Usenet

or USE·NET

[ yooz-net, yoos‑ ]

noun

1. Digital Technology. an extensive system of newsgroups: a branch of the internet.

Usenet

/ ˈjuːzˌnɛt /

noun

1. computing a vast collection of newsgroups that follow agreed naming, maintaining, and distribution practices

Word History and Origins

Origin of Usenet¹

First recorded in 1980–85; use(rs) ¹( def ) + net(work)

Example Sentences

The platforms included the more contemporary Facebook, Reddit, Gab, and YouTube, and the older USENET, a worldwide distributed discussion system established in 1980 -- over a decade before the world wide web went online to the general public.

From Science Daily

He was the first-ever European buyer of an Apple Macintosh, he helped conceive of and design various digital games, and was a presence in both the virtual forums of Usenet and the physical conferences held by tech engineers.

From Slate

Going back nearly four decades, the same pattern has repeated itself: in Usenet, in AOL chatrooms, in the early blogging platforms, in comments threads, and in various forms of social media.

From Slate

It used to be in reference to Usenet, then Discord.

From Slate

One participant described Usenet's decline as "like watching a shopping mall slowly go out of business."

From Salon