wiki

noun

wi·​ki ˈwi-kē 

ˈwē-

: a website that allows visitors to make changes, contributions, or corrections

Did you know?

Today, wikis are common stops on the information superhighway; however, they only date to 1995, after computer programmer Ward Cunningham introduced his software WikiWikiWeb to the world. The software, whose name is based on a Hawaiian term for "quick," allows website visitors to contribute content to its pages and comment on and make changes to information posted by others. A site using the software is referred to as a wiki.

Examples of wiki in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Backrooms was created in 2019 on 4chan, spread on Reddit and fan wikis, and inspired games on Roblox and Minecraft. —Anthony D'alessandro, Deadline, 6 May 2026

Fan wikis, Reddit threads, and dedicated location databases like MovieMaps or Atlas of Wonders are absolute goldmines for pinning down exact filming spots. —Lauren Schuster, Miami Herald, 10 Mar. 2026

Fan wikis, Reddit threads, and dedicated location databases like MovieMaps or Atlas of Wonders are goldmines for pinning down exact filming spots. —Lauren Schuster, Kansas City Star, 10 Mar. 2026

Reddit and fan wikis are often more comprehensive than official sources. —Taylor Haught, Sacbee.com, 18 Dec. 2025

Word History

Etymology

from WikiWikiWeb, a website with such programming introduced in 1995

Note: The WikiWikiWeb was named by its developer, American computer programmer Ward Cunningham, after the Wiki Wiki Shuttle, the free bus service that runs between terminals at the Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu. The name is a reduplication of Hawaiian wiki "quick."

First Known Use

1995, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for wiki

• agree
• allee
• banshee
• beastly
• bibi
• bowsprit
• carefree
• cerci
• chablis
• cowpea
• crappie
• crappy

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