- The word offline originally means something opposite to online, which is on-network. This expression “talk offline” meant “talk off the online network”, meaning talking in person to person, physical writing or etc. However, the expression started to encompass broader situation, and now it is often used meaning “talk individually outside the meeting”. For example, a certain topic is discussed during the meeting. However, when someone wants to hear more detail about it but does not want to bother anyone else who is not very interested in this topic, one can say that he/she wants to talk offline.
talk offline
analogy verb
Talk outside the official meeting
Etymology : analogy from the original meaning and scope of the expression talk offline
Source : Nov 2011 frequently heard in our senior design meeting
Last modified: 5 December 2011