Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense spams, present participle spamming, past tense, past participle spammedlanguage note: The form Spam can also be used for meaning [sense 1].
1. uncountable noun
Spam is a cooked meat product made from pork and ham.
[trademark]
2. verb
In computing, to spam people or organizations means to send unwanted emails to a large number of them, usually as advertising.
[computing]
...programs that let you spam the newspapers. [VERB noun]
Spam is also a noun.
...a small group of people fighting the spam plague.
spamminguncountable noun
The consultant who suggested using spamming to raise the company's profile has beenfired.
spammerWord forms: plural spammerscountable noun
The real culprits are the spammers.
spam in British English
(spæm) computing slang
verbWord forms: spams, spamming or spammed
1.
to send unsolicited electronic mail or text messages simultaneously to a number of e-mail addresses or mobile phones
noun
2.
unsolicited electronic mail or text messages sent in this way
Derived forms
spammer (ˈspammer)
noun
Word origin
C20: from the repeated use of the word Spam in a popular sketch from the British television show Monty Python's Flying Circus, first broadcast in 1969
Spam in British English
(spæm)
noun
trademark
a kind of tinned luncheon meat, made largely from pork
Spam in American English
(spæm)
trademark
a kind of canned luncheon meat made from pieces of seasoned pork and ham pressed into a loaf
spam in American English
(spæm)
noun
1. Computing
unsolicited e-mail, often advertisements, sent out over a computer network to many addresses, usually indiscriminately
verb transitive, verb intransitiveWord forms: spammed or ˈspamming
2.
to send such e-mail to (a user or users)
Word origin
prob. ult. < Spam
Examples of 'spam' in a sentence
spam
It will deliver important messages into your inbox rather than the spam folder.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Check with your email provider to see whether it has enabled a spam filter for your account.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
But one spam email this week really made me sit up.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Up to half of office emails are spam.
The Sun (2012)
Spam text messages can be forwarded on to your mobile provider for it to take action against persistent offenders.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
He said computer users should lessen the risk by loading the free spam filters offered by most broadband suppliers.
The Sun (2006)
Ignore the messages, and hope your service provider improves its spam filters.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
And spam filters can't get all of it.
The Sun (2015)
Spam or junk e-mails are unsolicited messages sent in bulk.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Hidden for over a week, an important work email has snuck its way into my spam folder.
The Sun (2015)
A spam text is sent with directions to click on a link.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The firm promises no junk mail or spam and you can earn another 5 if you refer friends and family.
The Sun (2008)
THE government is to crack down on companies that plague people with unsolicited spam text messages and nuisance calls.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Once the investigators find the number producing the spam texts, mobile phone companies are told to block that number from their networks.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Millions of householders plagued by cold calls and spam texts are to be given respite under new Government plans to pursue the firms responsible.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
In terms of sending a bold message to Bolt, it was the stuff of spam mail.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
Make sure that you don't become a magnet for spam e-mails and junk mail after shopping online.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
To minimise the risks, you should check that the spam filter is switched on in your e-mail settings.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
This was partly because you were working abroad and your email service kept pushing emails from the DVLA into your spam folder.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
In fact, this is not possible, and the application was harvesting emails and user details to send them spam email.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Spam ( unsolicited email) is an unpalatable reality of computer use and a constant battle for the people who manage email flow.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
MORE than one in ten spam emails is sent from India, research found.
The Sun (2012)
In other languages
spam
British English: spam /spæm/ NOUN
Spam is unwanted email that is sent to a large number of people, usually as advertising.
People are sick of spam.
American English: spam
Arabic: رَسَائِلٌ غَيْرُ مَرْغُوبَة
Brazilian Portuguese: spam
Chinese: 垃圾邮件
Croatian: neželjena pošta
Czech: nevyžádaný e-mail
Danish: spam
Dutch: spam
European Spanish: correo basura
Finnish: roskaposti sähköinen
French: courrier indésirable
German: unerwünschte Werbe-E-Mails
Greek: ανεπιθύμητη αλληλογραφία
Italian: spam
Japanese: スパムメール
Korean: 스팸 메일
Norwegian: spam
Polish: spam
European Portuguese: spam
Romanian: email cu caracter publicitar trimis unui număr mare de persoane
Russian: спам
Latin American Spanish: correo basura
Swedish: skräppost
Thai: ขยะไปรษณีย์อิเล็กทรอนิกส์
Turkish: istenmeyen e-mail
Ukrainian: спам
Vietnamese: thư rác
British English: spam VERB
In computing, to spam people or organizations means to send unwanted e-mails to a large number of them, usually as advertising.