cyber
pronunciation
How to pronounce cyber in British English:
UK ['saɪbə]
How to pronounce cyber in American English:
US ['saɪbə]
Word Origin
- cyber
- as an element in word formation, ultimately from cybernetics (q.v.). It enjoyed explosive use with the rise of the Internet early 1990s. One researcher (Nagel) counted 104 words formed from it by 1994. Cyberpunk (by 1986) and cyberspace were among the earliest. Cyber is such a perfect prefix. Because nobody has any idea what it means, it can be grafted onto any old word to make it seem new, cool -- and therefore strange, spooky. ["New York" magazine, Dec. 23, 1996] As a stand-alone, it is attested by 1998 as short for cybersex (which is attested by 1995).
Example
- 1. Increasing threats make cyber analysis a growth area for everyone from banks to startups .
- 2. While online shoppers were gobbling up e-deals on cyber monday , amazon once again demonstrated its appetite for capital .
- 3. School officials have repeatedly denied any involvement in cyber attacks .
- 4. Effective online marketers don 't merely transfer hard copy acts to cyber spaces .
- 5. Many governments have chosen to keep debate on cyber conflict classified .