Dialin

/ˈdaɪəl.ɪn/ noun

Definition

A type of internet connection made by using a modem to dial into a service provider's computer over telephone lines.

Etymology

Compound word: dial + in. From the action of using your modem to 'dial in' to a network, this term became standard during the 1980s-2000s internet era when telephone lines were the primary connection method.

Kelly Says

That screechy beeping sound when you connected to the internet? That was dial-in happening—it's the reason entire generations learned to type faster, since you had to wait forever for webpages to load.

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