[1] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

electronic mail \e`lectron"ic mail\, n. computers
   1. a message transmitted from one computer to another,
      accessible by means of a mail reading program on the
      receiving computer. the message may have one or many
      intended recipients, and may be directed by the sending
      program to one or to multiple receiving computers. the
      message is typically in the form of a computer file, and
      may be a simple ascii text, or any other type of binary
      coded information

   syn: email. pjc

[2] : WordNet (r) 2.0

electronic mail
     n : computer science a system of world-wide electronic
         communication in which a computer user can compose a
         message at one terminal that is generated at the
         recipient's terminal when he logs in syn: e-mail, email
         ant: snail mail, snail mail, snail mail
see also:
e-mail email snail mail 

[3] : The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing (27 SEP 03)

electronic mail
     
         e-mail messages automatically passed from one
        computer user to another, often through computer networks
        and/or via modems over telephone lines.
     
        a message, especially one following the common rfc 822
        standard, begins with several lines of headers, followed
        by a blank line, and the body of the message.  an increasing
        number of e-mail systems support the mime standard which
        allows the message body to contain "attachments" of
        different kinds rather than just one block of plain ascii
        text.  it is conventional for the body to end with a
        signature.
     
        headers give the name and electronic mail address of the
        sender and recipients, the time and date when it was sent
        and a subject.  there are many other headers which may get
        added by different message handling systems during delivery.
     
        the message is "composed" by the sender, usuallya using a
        special program - a "mail user agent" mua.  it is then
        passed to some kind of "message transfer agent" mta - a
        program which is responsible for either delivering the message
        locally or passing it to another mta, often on another host.
        mtas on different hosts on a network often communicate using
        smtp.  the message is eventually delivered to the
        recipient's mailbox - normally a file on his computer - from
        where he can read it using a mail reading program which may
        or may not be the same mua as used by the sender.
     
        contrast snail-mail, paper-net, voice-net.
     
        the form "email" is also common, but is less suggestive of the
        correct pronunciation and derivation than "e-mail".  the word
        is used as a noun for the concept "isn't e-mail great?", "are
        you on e-mail?", a collection of unread messages "i spent
        all night reading my e-mail", and as a verb meaining "to send
        something in an e-mail message" "i'll e-mail you my
        report".  the use of "an e-mail" as a count noun for an
        e-mail message, and plural "e-mails", is now 2000 also well
        established despite the fact that "mail" is definitely a mass
        noun.
     
        oddly enough, the word "emailed" is actually listed in the
        oxford english dictionary.  it means "embossed with a raised
        pattern or arranged in a net work".  a use from 1480 is
        given.  the word is derived from french "emmailleure",
        network.  also "email" is german for enamel.
     
        the story of the first e-mail message
        http://www.pretext.com/mar98/features/story2.htm.
     
        2002-07-14
     
     
see also:
networks modems rfc 822 standard headers mime 
attachments ascii signature electronic mail address message handling systems 
mail user agent message transfer agent host smtp mailbox 
mua snail-mail paper-net voice-net lt;the story of the first e-mail messagegt; 

Electronic Mail >> E Words
Electronic Mail, definition of term: Electronic Mail
electronic+mail_pag1.html

Mail >> M Words
Mail, definition of term: Mail
mail_pag1.html

Electronic >> E Words
Electronic, definition of term: Electronic
electronic_pag1.html

Electronic Dict >> E Words
Electronic Dict, definition of term: Electronic Dict
electronic+dict_pag1.html

Mail Hub >> M Words
Mail Hub, definition of term: Mail Hub
mail+hub_pag1.html

Electronic Text >> E Words
Electronic Text, definition of term: Electronic Text
electronic+text_pag1.html

Mail Fraud >> M Words
Mail Fraud, definition of term: Mail Fraud
mail+fraud_pag1.html

Electronic Devi >> E Words
Electronic Devi, definition of term: Electronic Devi
electronic+devi_pag1.html

Electronic Data >> E Words
Electronic Data, definition of term: Electronic Data
electronic+data_pag1.html

Electronic Bull >> E Words
Electronic Bull, definition of term: Electronic Bull
electronic+bull_pag1.html

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