Definition of spam

spam

noun

unsolicited advertisements sent in bulk via e-mail.
- See more words with the same meaning: advertisement (related to).
- See more words with the same meaning: computer slang.
- See more words with the same meaning: mail (related to).
Last edited on Jan 19 1997. Submitted by Jeff Mustin from Bentonville, AR, USA on Jan 19 1997.
advertisements posted in any inappropriate place on the internet (blog comments, discussion forums, etc.)
- See more words with the same meaning: advertisement (related to).
- See more words with the same meaning: computer slang.
Last edited on Aug 14 2009. Submitted by WalterGR (via TheJargonFile) on Aug 14 2009.
any excessive quantity of communication in a medium that isn't appropriate for it. For example, sending hundreds of lines of nonsense in a chat-room.
- See more words with the same meaning: computer slang.
- See more words with the same meaning: to annoy, interfere, intrude.
Last edited on Nov 15 2011. Submitted by WalterGR (via TheJargonFile) on Aug 14 2009.
multiple copies of an identical or nearly-identical message sent to a large number of internet discussion groups.
- See more words with the same meaning: computer slang.
- See more words with the same meaning: to annoy, interfere, intrude.
Last edited on Nov 15 2011. Submitted by WalterGR (via TheJargonFile) on Aug 14 2009.
off-topic messages posted to an internet forum.
He's been posting UFO conspiracy theory spam to Usenet for years.
- See more words with the same meaning: computer slang.
- See more words with the same meaning: to annoy, interfere, intrude.
Last edited on Nov 15 2011. Submitted by WalterGR (via TheJargonFile) on Aug 14 2009.
multiple copies of a message sent to a discussion forum.
Last edited on Nov 11 2011. Submitted by Walter Rader (Editor) from Sacramento, CA, USA on Nov 11 2011.
any type of unwanted communication via any medium.

Citation from FCC: Nearly half the calls you receive this year will be spam, Katie Bernard, CNN, 14 February 2019 censored in hope of resolving Google's penalty against this site.
- See more words with the same meaning: advertisement (related to).
- See more words with the same meaning: to annoy, interfere, intrude.
Last edited on Feb 15 2019. Submitted by Walter Rader (Editor) from Sacramento, CA, USA on Feb 15 2019.

verb - ambitransitive

to send or post "spam" as described in the noun senses.
- See more words with the same meaning: advertisement (related to).
- See more words with the same meaning: computer slang.
- See more words with the same meaning: to annoy, interfere, intrude.
Last edited on Nov 15 2011. Submitted by WalterGR (via TheJargonFile) on Aug 14 2009.

origin

From a Monty Python sketch about Spam. Some Vikings are singing a song about Spam so loudly that no one else can communicate.
Last edited on Jan 22 1999. Submitted by Emily M. from UC Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, USA on Jan 22 1999.

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Related words

Slang terms with the same meaning

Other terms relating to 'advertisement (related to)':
spamvertize	Definitions include: to advertise using spam and "spammy" techniques.
whore	Definitions include: a prostitute.
pimp	Definitions include: a male talented in attracting females.
Other terms relating to 'computer slang':
gr8	Definitions include: acronym for "great".
IKR	Definitions include: acronym for "I know, right?"
IDKK	Definitions include: acronym for "I don't know know!".
ppl	Definitions include: abbreviated form of "people", used in electronic communication.
massage	Definitions include: to transform data so that it's easier to process.
WOYM	Definitions include: acronym for "what's on your mind".
in the background	Definitions include: of an ongoing task, performed slowly over time, when nothing is claiming one's immediate attention.
IME	Definitions include: acronym for "in my experience".
hackish	Definitions include: a hack or involving a hack.
RT	Definitions include: acronym for "re-tweet."
PEBCAK	Definitions include: acronym for "problem exists between chair and keyboard".
IIUC	Definitions include: acronym for "if I understand correctly".
STFW	Definitions include: acronym for "search the fucking web".
link farm	Definitions include: a website with little or no content, consisting of mostly (or entirely)
friend	Definitions include: on a social networking website, to add someone to one's list of friends.
(show 585 more)
Other terms relating to 'mail (related to)':
snail mail	Definitions include: postal mail as opposed to electronic mail.
postie	Definitions include: a mailman.
Other terms relating to 'to annoy, interfere, intrude':
get on (one's) nerves	Definitions include: to annoy, pester, bother.
*cck block**	Definitions include: to interfere with a male's attempt to talk to a prospective romantic or sexual partner.
rattle (one's) cage	Definitions include: to aggravate someone.
crash	Definitions include: to arrive unexpectedly and uninvited, esp. to a social function such as a party or ceremony.
harsh (one's) marshmallow	Definitions include: to ruin a person's positive mood; "harsh (one's) mellow".
sweat	Definitions include: to be very attracted to someone, so much so that one nearly sweats when one sees the object of their affection.
rent space in (one's) head	Definitions include: to affect or bother someone.
*all over (one's) sses**	Definitions include: pestering multiple people.
bug	Definitions include: to pester or annoy.
*pssy block**	Definitions include: to interfere with a female's attempt to talk to a male or engaging him sexually.
dog	Definitions include: a friend.
mess with	Definitions include: to joke around with someone.
needle	Definitions include: something hard to find.
harsh (one's) mellow	Definitions include: to reduce or destroy a person's good mood.
troll	Definitions include: an unattractive female or one with a bad reputation.
(show 14 more)

Slang terms with the same root words

Other terms relating to 'spam':
blog-spam	Definitions include: a post to a blog that is about an article elsewhere on the web.
spam account	Definitions include: a free e-mail address one uses for unimportant web signups, with the expectation that the e-mail address will receive lots of spam.