Ajax

"Ajax, for Asynchronous JavaScript + XML. Weaving together existing technologies, Ajax will help make Web services feel more like programs that run on the user's own computer, releasing Internet content from the limitations of conventional Web design by reimagining the browser as an operating system." (http://www.popularmechanics.com/specials/features/2076876.html?page=4&c=y)

Definition

From the Wikipedia article at

"Ajax, shorthand for Asynchronous JavaScript and XML, is a web development technique for creating interactive web applications. The intent is to make web pages feel more responsive by exchanging small amounts of data with the server behind the scenes, so that the entire web page does not have to be reloaded each time the user requests a change. This is meant to increase the web page's interactivity, speed, and usability." (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AJAX)