Hypertexts

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A digital format that allows for interconnected texts, enabling users to navigate between them through links
2. A type of electronic document that incorporates hyperlinks to access additional information or related content
3. A system of text organization where reading paths are determined by user choices via clickable references

Etymology: "Hypertexts" is the plural of "hypertext", a term Ted Nelson coined in 1965. Nelson, an American information technologist, philosopher and sociologist, built it from the prefix "hyper-", meaning beyond or over, and "text", so the coinage describes text that goes beyond the linear page by linking to other passages and documents. Nelson's invention was a concept rather than a finished product. His idea of connected, non-sequential writing anticipated the web, which later made hyperlinked documents the everyday form of "hypertexts" and the ordinary experience of reading on screens.