Surfing the Web Borrowed From Surfing the Sea
Surf is breaking waves. The internet sense was coined deliberately in 1992.
Surf is the mass of foaming water where waves break on a shore, and *to surf* is to ride those waves on a board. The internet sense has a traceable author: the American librarian Jean Armour Polly used *surfing the internet* in a 1992 article, choosing it for the idea of riding from place to place with skill and a certain aimlessness. It spread within two years. The word itself appeared in the 1600s, possibly from *suffe*, a term used of the Indian coast.
- Breaking waves. *Heavy surf.*
- To ride waves. *Surfing at dawn.*
- To browse. *Surfing the web.*
- Surfer — one who surfs. *A surfer.*
- Origin uncertain. *The 1600s.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | surf | Surf. |
| Verb | surf | Surfing. |
| Agent | surfer | A surfer. |
| Compound | surfboard | A surfboard. |
| Related | surge | A surge. |
- The surf was rough.Sea.
- They surfed all morning.Sport.
- Coined for the web in 1992.History.
Why waves break
- In deep water a wave is mostly circular motion, not travelling water
- As the seabed rises, the bottom of the wave slows
- The top continues at speed and outruns the base
- The crest topples forward and breaks
- Beach slope decides whether it spills gently or plunges
Origin uncertain, recorded from the 1600s, possibly from an earlier form *suffe*.
Who coined surfing the internet?
The librarian Jean Armour Polly, in a 1992 article, for the idea of riding skilfully from place to place.
Why do waves break near the shore?
The rising seabed slows the bottom of the wave while the crest keeps its speed, so the top topples forward.