Web (Linguistic recommendation from the Translation Bureau)

[The same content is available in French in the article WEB (RECOMMANDATION LINGUISTIQUE DU BUREAU DE LA TRADUCTION).]

To standardize usage in the federal public service, the Translation Bureau makes the following recommendation.

How to Write web in English

Web used alone

Capitalize Web when it stands alone as a noun meaning the World Wide Web:

• watch a video on the Web
• search the Web

Note: As a noun, Web is preceded by the.

Compounds with web

Do not capitalize web when it is part of a compound, whether the compound is written as two words or one, with or without a hyphen:

• web page, web browser, web server
• web-based, web-enabled
• website, webinar, webcast, webmaster

Note: While our recommendation is consistent with recent Canadian and international usage, older spellings (e.g. Web page, Web-based) remain widespread (especially in the United States) and are not incorrect.

How to Write Web in French

Web used alone

Capitalize Web when it stands alone, as a noun. When used as a noun, Web is preceded by the article le or du and by the preposition dans or sur:

• naviguer sur le Web
• trouver une information dans le Web
• être un utilisateur du Web

Web used after a noun

Capitalize Web when it is placed after a noun as a modifier. It is always invariable—it does not agree in gender or number with the noun it modifies:

• un site Web
• un rédacteur Web
• des pages Web
• des contenus Web

Note: We recommend capitalizing Web in the above situations, although lower case is often seen:

• le web
• des sites web efficaces

Closed compounds with web

The word web may also be used as the first element in a closed compound. The compound word is written in lower case, without a hyphen, and is variable—compound nouns change their form in the plural; compounds used as adjectives agree with the noun they modify:

• la webdiffusion
• la webtélé
• une webcaméra
• un webinaire
• des webémissions
• des webmestres
• webdiffuser; des films webdiffusés
• webifier; une application webifiée

Additional information

See INTERNET, NET.

See EXTRANET, INTRANET.

© Public Works and Government Services Canada, 2020
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