Browser
/ˈbraʊ.zər/noun
A person or program that looks through or explores information, especially on the internet.
Did you know?Before it meant internet software, browse described animals feeding on tender leaves and people casually looking through books, much like grazing from one item to the next.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
*brustijaną
“To bud or sprout; the probable Germanic source behind the word’s plant-feeding sense”
12th–13th Century
Old French
broster
“To browse or feed on young shoots”
14th Century
Middle English
brousen
“To eat tender leaves or shoots, especially of trees”
16th Century
English
browse
“To feed on vegetation; later, to look casually through books or goods”
20th Century
English
browser
“A person who browses; later, software used to explore computer information”
Modern English
English
browser
“An application for accessing and navigating websites and other online content”