spam
Definition:
Unsolicited email sent out to hundreds or even millions of recipients is considered spam. Spam email can contain blatant advertising, fraudulent offers or scams, pornographic material or malicious viruses or other hidden scripts that may cause harm to your computer. The people sending these emails are known as spammers and can be difficult to police due to the world-wide reach of the Internet. Many spammers can set up an email address, send millions of emails and then disappear within a few short hours.
The origin of the word spam stems from a Monty Python skit where a couple finds it difficult to order food in a restaurant that doesn't come with Spam, the canned meat product produced by the Hormel Foods Corporation. To view the original Monty Python skit on YouTube, click here.