Source : Free On-Line Dictionary of Computing

whitespace
     
         (From the colour it produces on white paper) Any
        contiguous sequence of {spaces}, {tabs}, {carriage return}s,
        and/or {line feed}s.  Whitespace might also possibly include
        {form feed} characters.  The term is common on {Unix}.
     
        See also {non-printing character}.
     
        (1996-09-04)