The Rice University Neologisms Database

Online directory that connects people through social networks at schools. Facebook allows old friends to keep in touch while being far apart, or make new friends. It is a large network that compiles thousands of profiles of college students from all over the world. One creates a profile that they update as needed with their personal information, including photo albums that are accessible to their friends. There is also a ‘wall’ on which people can post comments. The term Facebook illustrates the number of profiles it contains. It is like a ‘book of faces’. A person’s friends are on a page that has their pictures next to their name. For the most part, it is a headshot of the person. If you click on the person’s picture, you are routed to their profile, which contains their personal information. The term book has many definitions including, ‘the body facts, traits, or circumstances connected with a person or subject.’ By combining face with book, the definition would describe the online directory. A book contains pages, just at Facebook has pages for each friend a person has. My assumption of the word and its meaning is only speculation. I do not know what the creator was thinking, but I feel that my idea is not too far from the real definition. The term Facebook has become very popular among college students. My mother cannot understand why we have to “let the whole world know” of our personal lives, relationship status, etc. She says that you can tell your friends by phone or when you see them but not by posting your problems on a website.