What does web mean?
“Web” is a versatile word whose central idea is a network or interconnected structure. In contemporary usage, it most commonly denotes the World Wide Web, as in “information available on the web,” although the internet is the broader technical term and includes services beyond the web. A web can also mean any connected network of people, organizations, systems, or ideas. Older and still familiar senses include a spider’s silk structure, woven material, and a thin membrane between an animal’s toes. As a verb, “web” means to weave, entangle, or connect into a network, though this use is less frequent today. The word’s history links these meanings through the ancient craft of weaving: the network of threads resembles both the physical structure of woven fabric and the interconnected relationships represented by modern digital networks.
A network of interconnected things, especially the World Wide Web; also a spider’s silk structure, woven material, or a thin membrane between the toes of certain animals.
"The article discusses the role of social media in shaping the web of public opinion."
To weave or entangle, or to connect or trap something within a network.
"The spider webs the corner of the porch before dawn."
Relating to the World Wide Web or to online material and activity.
"The publisher improved the site's web accessibility."
The standard plural is “webs.” It can refer to multiple networks, spider-created structures, or woven meshes.
"The researchers compared several webs of evidence."
A web can mean a spider's delicate trap, a network of connections, or the vast digital space through which much of modern life now unfolds.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Words that share this root
Related word forms
How web is actually used
In modern English, "the web" most often refers to the World Wide Web, whereas "the internet" can also include other online services and protocols. "Web" as a verb is less common than the noun and often carries the sense of entangling or trapping. The adjective is typically used in technical and digital contexts.