Source : Free On-Line Dictionary of Computing

Network Address Translation
     
         (NAT, or Network Address Translator, Virtual LAN)
        A hardware device currently being developed and used to extend
        the {Internet address}es already in use.  NAT has been
        suggested as an alternative to adopting {IPv6} (IPng).  It
        allows duplicate IP addresses to be used within a corporation
        and unique addresses outside.
     
        ["NATs are next naughty Internet issue", Christine
        Hudgins-Bonafield , in "Network
        Computing", March 1, 1995].
     
        (1995-04-01)