Webmaster

/ˈwɛbˌmæstər/ noun

Definition

person responsible for maintaining a website

Etymology

compound of web + master (1990s)

Kelly Says

Internet age job title

Ethical Language Guidance

Gender History

Early internet term defaulting to male, coined when web development was male-dominated (1990s). The term linguistically assumes maleness and erases women's foundational contributions to web architecture and early content management.

Inclusive Usage

Use 'web administrator,' 'web developer,' or 'site manager' instead. These terms are gender-neutral and more accurately describe the role.

Inclusive Alternatives

["web administrator","web developer","site manager","site administrator"]

Empowerment Note

Women like Berners-Lee's colleagues (e.g., early CERN web developers) were essential to building web infrastructure but were often uncredited; modern inclusive terminology honors their contributions.

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