The term '-COM BUBBLE' is a reference to the DOT-com bubble of the late 1990s and early 2000s. It was a period of rapid growth in the technology industry, with many companies going public and experiencing huge stock market gains. However, the bubble eventually burst, leading to a crash in the stock market and a decline in the technology sector. The term '-COM BUBBLE' is used to refer to this period of time and the subsequent crash.