Source : Free On-Line Dictionary of Computing

Internet Message Access Protocol
     
         (IMAP) A {protocol} allowing a {client}
        to access and manipulate {electronic mail} messages on a
        {server}.  It permits manipulation of remote message folders
        ({mailboxes}), in a way that is functionally equivalent to
        local mailboxes.
     
        IMAP includes operations for creating, deleting, and renaming
        mailboxes; checking for new messages; permanently removing
        messages; searching; and selective fetching of message
        attributes, texts, and portions thereof.  It does not specify
        a means of posting mail; this function is handled by a mail
        transfer protocol such as {SMTP}.
     
        Current version: 4.
     
        See {RFC 2060}, {RFC 2061}, and others.
     
        Compare: {POP}.
     
        (1999-03-14)