MCP Server
noun
(Acronym: “Maximum Content Provider” or “Multi-Content Provider,” depending on usage context)

Definition:
A class of web server or content infrastructure used by large tech platforms (e.g., Google, Microsoft, OpenAI) to aggregate, cache, or deliver vast amounts of third-party content to users—often through interfaces like AI overviews, search result previews, or virtual assistants—without requiring a direct visit to the original source. MCP servers often act as high-volume intermediaries in zero-click or AI-driven ecosystems.

Usage:
“Publishers are demanding compensation as MCP servers increasingly deliver their content without attribution or traffic.”

Compare:
Content Aggregator, Edge Caching Server, AI Retrieval Layer

Note:
While “MCP” is not yet a widely standardized industry acronym, it is occasionally used in privacy and publisher policy discussions to denote powerful centralized servers responsible for content redistribution or interface delivery at scale.