weblog: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowTechnical/Historical
Quick answer
What does “weblog” mean?
A personal website or online journal where someone writes regular entries, typically in reverse chronological order.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A personal website or online journal where someone writes regular entries, typically in reverse chronological order.
A digital publication of content, often with a specific focus, maintained by an individual or a small group. The term is often used to describe the early, more personal form of blogging before the medium became more diverse and commercial.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is identical in both dialects. The term is technology-derived and therefore largely universal.
Connotations
Slightly more formal or precise than 'blog'. In both regions, using 'weblog' may signal a more technical or academic background, or refer to the medium's early period (late 1990s/early 2000s).
Frequency
Much less frequent than 'blog' in both varieties. Its use has declined significantly since the mid-2000s.
Grammar
How to Use “weblog” in a Sentence
to keep/maintain a weblog (about [topic])to start/launch a weblogto post to a weblogto read/follow a weblogVocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “weblog” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The software made it easy for anyone to start weblogging.
- He weblogged about his travels for over a decade.
American English
- She weblogged regularly about open-source software.
- Many early adopters weblogged using simple HTML.
adverb
British English
- No standard adverbial form derived from 'weblog'.
American English
- No standard adverbial form derived from 'weblog'.
adjective
British English
- The weblog culture of the early 2000s was quite different.
- He followed a weblogging convention by including a blogroll.
American English
- They used a popular weblog platform called Blogger.
- The weblog community was tightly-knit before social media.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare. Used historically in discussions of digital marketing or content strategy origins.
Academic
Used in media studies, digital humanities, or internet history to refer to the original concept of blogging with precision.
Everyday
Very rare. Most people would say 'blog'.
Technical
Used in computing history, discussions of early web publishing platforms, or in formal documentation for software like content management systems.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “weblog”
- Using 'weblog' in casual conversation where 'blog' is expected, which can sound overly formal or pedantic.
- Confusing 'weblog' (noun) with 'to blog' (verb). The verb is 'to blog', not 'to weblog'.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
There is no meaningful difference in meaning. 'Weblog' is the original, full term. 'Blog' is the ubiquitous, shortened version used in almost all contexts today.
No, it has fallen out of common usage. 'Blog' is the standard term. 'Weblog' is now considered formal, technical, or historical.
Historically, yes (e.g., 'to weblog'), but this is extremely rare. The verb 'to blog' is universal.
Primarily a noun. It can be used attributively as an adjective (e.g., 'weblog software'). Its use as a verb is obsolete.
A personal website or online journal where someone writes regular entries, typically in reverse chronological order.
Weblog is usually technical/historical in register.
Weblog: in British English it is pronounced /ˈwɛb.lɒɡ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈwɛb.lɔːɡ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “The term itself is not typically used in idioms.”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of it as a LOG of your thoughts or activities kept on the WEB. WEB + LOG = WEBLOG.
Conceptual Metaphor
A PUBLIC LOG-BOOK (like a ship's log, but for personal/public thought).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the term 'weblog' MOST likely to be used today?