The term netizen refers to a person who is actively involved in online communities or the Internet in general.

The Cambridge Online Dictionary describes netizen as ‘a person who uses the internet’.

Other expressions of the word netizen are ‘citizen of the net’ or ‘net citizen’.

Netizen is also described as a user of the internet, often one who is actively engaged in uncensored online discussions of political and social issues.

Netizen is a portmanteau of two English words ‘internet’ and ‘citizen’. Essentially, the word has been made up using the parts ‘net’ (from the word internet) and ‘izen’ (from the word citizen).

It is believed that the term netizen was first recorded in 1980–85.

Synonyms and similar other words to netizen are cybercitizen, cybernaut, cybersurfer, surfer and browser.