private message

private message (plural private messages)

1. (Internet) A message sent to another user of a social media or chat platform through a private channel as opposed to a publicly accessible area or chatroom.

   Synonyms: (initialism) PM, direct message, personal message, whisper

   • 2007 January 19, Seth Schiesel, “O Brave New World That Has Such Gamers in It”, in The New York Times‎:

     By then I was receiving dozens of private messages in the game every hour from players I had never met who could see that my guildmate and I were out front: “OMG how did you level so fast?,” “Hey you must have a lot of gold, can I have some?” and of course “You guys are huge nerds.”

private message (third-person singular simple present private messages, present participle private messaging, simple past and past participle private messaged)

1. (Internet) To send a private message.

   Synonyms: (initialism) PM, direct message, personal message

• private-message