Pinging

/ˈpɪŋɪŋ/ verb

Definition

Making a short, sharp sound like a bell; or sending a signal over the internet to check if a device is reachable.

Etymology

From the onomatopoeia 'ping,' which mimics the sound itself. The word became popular in computing in the 1980s when engineers named their network tool after the sonar 'ping' sound.

Kelly Says

The name of the computing tool 'ping' was inspired by sonar pings that submarines use to detect objects underwater—both are about sending out signals and waiting for a response!

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