Meaning
Website content that is aimed at generating advertising revenue, especially at the expense of quality or accuracy, relying on sensationalist headlines to attract click-throughs; such headlines.
Etymology
Origin: Middle English
Etymology tree English click Proto-Indo-European *bʰeyd- Proto-Indo-European *-t Proto-Indo-European *bʰéydt Proto-Germanic *bītaną Proto-Indo-European *-yeti Proto-Indo-European *-éyeti Proto-Germanic *-janą Proto-Germanic *baitijaną Old Norse beitabor. Middle English bayte English bait English -bait English clickbait From click + -bait (“manipulation to elicit a particular response”).
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms
link baitshitbait
NYT Puzzle Appearances
Accepted in 1 recorded puzzle, including a pangram: