Global System for Mobile Communications; a standard for mobile phone networks. Also refers to grams per square meter when measuring paper weight or textile density.
Acronym formed in the 1980s from 'Global System for Mobile Communications,' originally 'Groupe Spécial Mobile' in French. The technology was developed by European telecommunications companies to create a unified mobile standard.
GSM represents how acronyms can become so ubiquitous that they transcend their original meaning - most people use GSM without knowing what the letters stand for. It's a perfect example of how technical innovations create new vocabulary that enters everyday language.
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