Origin: Latin prefix inter-
Internet has 7 different meanings across 2 categories:
a computer network consisting of a worldwide network of computer networks that use the TCP/IP network protocols to facilitate data transmission and exchange
"After troubleshooting my connection issues, I finally realized my laptop was still trying to access the global computer network via TCP/IP even though it had no signal."
Any set of computer networks that communicate using the Internet Protocol. (An intranet.)
"The new remote job requires me to stay connected to the internet so I can access our shared files from home."
specific internet consisting of a global network of computers
In plain English: The internet is a massive global network that connects billions of computers so people can share information and communicate instantly.
"I checked the internet to find directions to the nearest gas station."
Usage: Use "internet" to refer to the single, worldwide system that connects billions of devices and allows global communication. It is always lowercase unless you are referring to a specific, named network like the Internet Archive.
To use the Internet; to search for something using the Internet; to surf the Internet.
"The artist used vines and roots to internet the garden paths into a single, living maze."
To link together or entwine, so as to form a network.
In plain English: To go online and connect to the internet.
"The vines internetted across the old stone wall, creating a lush green curtain."
Usage: Avoid using "internet" as a verb in modern English; instead, use synonyms like "connect," "link," or "interweave." The word functions only as a noun referring to the global computer network.
Alternative letter-case form of Internet; the Internet, the largest global internet.
"When the BGP routing tables went down during the major outage, half of the world's internet suddenly became unreachable for users trying to load websites or stream videos."
The specific internet consisting of a global network of computers that communicate using Internet Protocol (IP) and that use Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) to identify the best paths to route those communications.
The word internet is simply a shortened form of the capitalized term Internet. It entered English as a common noun to describe the global network connecting computers worldwide.