Final answer:
The "i" in iMac stood for the word "Internet" when it was released in 1998.
Step-by-step explanation:
The eight-letter word that the "i" in iMac stood for at the time of its release in 1998 was "Internet." Ken Segall, the person who coined the name, used the "i" to signify the device's connectivity to the internet. The iMac was one of the first computers to come with built-in internet capabilities, making it a groundbreaking device in the era of internet connectivity.