(1) Refers to the period (dot) followed by the abbreviation of the commercial domain (.com) at the end of an Internet address. Since the .com domain is so widely used, the Internet became known as the "dot-com" world, and dot-com companies are those formed to offer services or products on the Web. Since .com addresses are the most popular, Web browsers default to adding the .com to the end of the URL if no other domain, such as .org or .edu, is typed in. See Internet domain name, dot-com company, dot-com bubble, not-com and dot-con.

(2) (dot com) The period and com domain spelled out in an e-mail address on a Web site to prevent a spambot from identifying it. See spambot.

See dot-com.