file-sharing
UK[ˈfaɪl ˌʃeərɪŋ]US[ˈfaɪl ˌʃerɪŋ]
n
The practice of making computer files available for other users to download over a network or the internet.
n
The technology or software that enables such sharing.
Morpheme Breakdown
file
sharing
file
noun
sharing
noun
Etymology
The term 'file-sharing' is a modern compound noun, a product of the digital age. Its first element, 'file', carries the ancient concept of organization via a thread, a metaphor extended from physical documents to digital data. The second element, 'sharing', originates from the Old English idea of dividing or apportioning a part. Combined, these morphemes logically describe the digital-era practice of apportioning and distributing data units across a network, transforming the act of division into one of communal access and distribution.
Analysis
Structure: file (noun) + sharing (noun)
file: From Middle English 'filen', from Old French 'filer' (to string documents on a wire), from Latin 'filum' (thread). In this compound, it functions as a noun denoting a collection of data stored under a single name.
sharing: From the verb 'share', from Middle English 'schare', from Old English 'scearu' (a cutting, division). The suffix '-ing' converts the verb into a noun denoting the action or practice.
Examples
The rise of peer-to-peer networks revolutionized online file-sharing.
Many companies have strict policies against unauthorized file-sharing of copyrighted material.
This software simplifies file-sharing between different operating systems.