English
The noun is an abbreviation of electronic mail.
first attested First attested in the 1970s (as stated in the etymology)
The story
The noun is an abbreviation of electronic mail. First attested in the 1970s.
Today it means
noun A system for sending messages and datas by means of a computer network, primarily the Internet, using the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol and the Internet Message Format.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / email