wiki dive
/ˈwɪki daɪv/
CommonAn extended session of following links through a wiki, usually starting with one question and ending somewhere completely unrelated.
Usually described after the fact and with mild self-deprecating humor. Implies genuine interest, not wasted time. People are proud of their wiki dives.
Real-world examples4 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | started reading about one thing and ended up 3 hours deep in a wiki dive about cold war submarines | One link led to another and the session extended far beyond the original topic. | x, 2024 |
| 02 | 4am wiki dive is my favorite genre of accidentally staying up | A late night wiki session is an enjoyable way to lose track of time. | tumblr, 2023 |
| 03 | went on a wiki dive to understand one line in a song and now i know too much about the vietnam war | Researching a cultural reference expanded into a full history lesson. | reddit, 2024 |
| 04 | warning: do not wiki dive the history of fonts unless you have no plans | The topic is surprisingly deep and will consume more time than expected. | x, 2023 |
Use it when
- Describing a long unplanned session of following wiki links.
- Explaining how you ended up knowing something completely random.
- Warning someone they're about to lose track of time.
Do not use it when
- You specifically looked up one thing and stopped.
- You mean targeted research with a specific goal.
Variations and related forms
Wiki dive vs rabbit hole
wiki dive
Wiki dive is specifically about following links through wikis.
VS
rabbit hole
Rabbit hole is broader and applies to any deep or absorbing exploration, not just wikis.
Origin and context
The term emerged naturally from Wikipedia's linked article structure in the mid-2000s. As Wikipedia grew and more topic-specific wikis launched, the experience of following links for hours became a recognized and named behavior.
- First seen
- mid-2000s
- Confidence
- low
Cite this page
Use this stable URL to reference the entry.
https://slang.fyi/wiki-diveUpdated: 2026-08-29License: CC BY 4.0