Spam

/spæm/ noun, verb

Definition

Spam is unwanted or junk messages, especially emails, sent out in large numbers. As a verb, it means to send these kinds of messages repeatedly.

Etymology

Originally a brand name for canned meat called *SPAM*, created in 1937. The modern sense comes from a 1970 Monty Python comedy sketch where the word *spam* is repeated annoyingly many times, which later inspired its use for junk messages.

Kelly Says

The fact that your email junk folder is named after canned meat is pure comedy history. A silly sketch about a menu overloaded with SPAM became the perfect metaphor for inboxes overloaded with unwanted messages.

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