break the internet
/breɪk ðə ˈɪntərnɛt/
verb phrase
Origin
Modern English
break + internet — To fracture the interconnection of global networking infrastructure
Overview
Meaning Now
- To cause such an overwhelming amount of traffic to a website or online platform that it crashes or becomes temporarily inaccessible.
- To generate such a significant amount of viral attention or social media engagement that it dominates online discourse.
Language path
Proto-Germanic → Middle English → Modern English
Earliest form
break the internet
Earliest period
21st century (circa 2008)
Journey
The phrase originated as a literal descriptor for technical failure due to heavy load, but evolved into a hyperbolic cultural term. It gained significant mainstream notoriety around 2014 following the publication of Kim Kardashian's photoshoot for Paper magazine, which was accompanied by the slogan 'Break the Internet'.
Evolution
- Old English
brecan
“to break, shatter, or violate”
- Middle English
breken
“to fracture, rupture”
- Late 20th Century
internet
“global network of interconnected computers”
Coined from international + network
- Early 21st Century
break the internet
“hyperbolic expression for massive viral reach”
Popularized by celebrity culture and high-traffic online events
Connections
Word parts
break
root
to divide or force apart
the
other
definite article
internet
root
global system of interconnected computer networks
Related across languages
German
brechen
to break
Dutch
breken
to break
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External references use DefinedTerm semantics.