Pronunciation: [wˈɪki] (IPA) 
The spelling of the word "wiki" is unique and can be difficult to discern for those unfamiliar with it. The IPA phonetic transcription of the word is /ˈwɪki/ which represents the sounds "wih" followed by "key". The pronunciation of "wiki" is similar to the word "weekey" except without the "e" sound in the middle. The word "wiki" originally referred to a type of collaborative website, which has become increasingly popular in recent years.
A wiki is an online platform and collaborative website that allows users to collectively create, edit, and link content, often focusing on a specific topic or subject matter. The term "wiki" is derived from the Hawaiian word meaning "quick."
Built on the principles of open collaboration and collective intelligence, a wiki enables multiple users to contribute and modify the information displayed on its pages. This is achieved through an easy-to-use interface that simplifies the process of creating and editing content, typically utilizing a simple markup language or a WYSIWYG editor.
Wikis are designed to promote widespread participation, enabling anyone with access to the website to edit its pages, add new information, or make revisions. Through this communal effort, a wiki harnesses the collective knowledge and expertise of its contributors, resulting in a dynamic and constantly evolving resource.
In addition to textual content, wikis can also incorporate various media types such as images, videos, and hyperlinks. Furthermore, most wikis include features like version control, allowing users to view the history of edits made to a page, revert changes, and track contributions.
Wikis have found widespread use in various fields, including education, business, and research, as they foster collaboration, knowledge sharing, and efficient content management. Prominent examples of wikis include Wikipedia, a popular online encyclopedia, and MediaWiki, the open-source software used to power numerous wikis across the internet.
The word "wiki" originated from the Hawaiian language, where it means "quick" or "fast". It was first used to name a software called "WikiWikiWeb", developed by Ward Cunningham in 1994. Cunningham chose this name to reflect the efficient and collaborative nature of his software, which allowed users to quickly and easily create and edit web pages. Over time, "wiki" became a noun on its own, referring to any website or software that enables collaborative editing.
