Everquest

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A long-running online multiplayer game where players create characters, explore virtual worlds, complete quests, and interact with others in a fantasy setting
2. A pioneering fantasy-based MMORPG that allows users to engage in role-playing, cooperative tasks, and combat in a shared digital environment
3. An immersive internet game featuring character development, exploration of diverse landscapes, mission accomplishment, and social interaction among players worldwide

Etymology: EverQuest is a compound of "ever" and "quest," and its history is a plain one: it is a proper noun naming a game, not a word that drifted through the language. The game was released by Sony Online Entertainment in March 1999, developed by Verant Interactive, and its name was chosen to suggest an endless adventure, a world where quests never run out. "Ever" is the old English word meaning "always" or "at any time," and "quest" comes from Old French "queste," meaning a search or pursuit, ultimately from Latin "quaerere," to seek. The name follows a pattern common in fantasy and gaming, where a word like "quest" stands for the central activity of play. Because the title is a brand, it has no dictionary sense of its own beyond the game, though "everquest" is now sometimes used in lowercase to describe other long-running online role-playing games in conversation.

Synonyms: EQ, EverQuest game