As a verb, it means to copy data or files from a central computer or the internet to your own device. As a noun, it refers to the data or file that has been transferred in this way.
Formed in English from 'down' + 'load', emerging in the mid-20th century with computing. 'Down' is used metaphorically to suggest data moving from a central 'higher' system to a local 'lower' one. It pairs with 'upload', where the direction is reversed.
The 'up' and 'down' in 'upload' and 'download' don’t describe physical direction at all—they’re metaphors for center vs. edge, server vs. user. We instinctively picture the internet as a kind of sky where data comes 'down' to us. Our mental map of cyberspace is smuggled into the verbs we use.
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