From Sue Chastain,
Your Guide to Graphics Software.
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Definition: This is a collection of 216 colors that will not shift or dither when viewed on any operating system that is set to display 256 colors. The reason the palette consists of 216 instead of 256 colors is because there are 40 colors that are unique to the Windows and Macintosh operating systems. The best way to ensure that your color selections will be displayed accurately on any computer, is to select colors from the Web-safe palette. As computer systems become more sophisticated, it's becoming less important to strictly adhere to the Web-safe palette; however, you should consider your intended audience before making the decision to break away from the Web-safe palette.

Graphics Glossary

Also Known As: browser-safe color, Webmaster's safety palette, web safe color palette