The Rice University Neologisms Database

To chat over the internet using the instant messenger AIM. AIM is the most popular instant messenger in America. An instant messenger allows two or more people to communicate with each other using text over the internet. As the user-base of America Online grew exponentially during the 1990’s in America, the company worked hard to integrate instant messaging into the overall AOL experience. The idea of talking to friends over the internet perked the interest of computer savvy people as well as those who were are far from the leetspeak world as possible. As AIM’s popularity spread, it only seemed natural for the young adults wishing to discuss chatting with each other over the internet after school over other social gatherings to zero derive the noun acronym into a verb. However, this word is currently only used in America. In every other industrialized country, MSN messenger is the most popular instant messenger. Nonetheless, the verb "to msn" does not exist yet.