Multimedia refers to the integration of various media types like text, graphics, audio and video that are delivered by computers. The document discusses the history, basic elements, advantages, disadvantages and applications of multimedia. It notes that multimedia originated from Paul Nipkow's invention of the Nipkow disk in the late 1800s and was further developed in the 1900s. The basic elements include text, audio, video, graphics and animation. Multimedia has applications in education, entertainment, business and other fields. The future of multimedia is expected to include seamless access across devices and improved technologies like virtual and augmented reality.