Link Definition & Meaning

American

British

Scientific

Related Words

Other Word Forms

Etymology

Examples

Related Words

Synonyms link 1 American [lingk] / lɪŋk /

noun

1. one of the rings or separate pieces of which a chain is composed.

2. anything serving to connect one part or thing with another; a bond or tie.

   The locket was a link with the past.

   Synonyms: connective, connection

3. a unit in a communications system, as a radio relay station or a television booster station.

4. any of a series of sausages in a chain.

5. a cuff link.

6. a ring, loop, or the like.

   a link of hair.

7. Also called hyperlink. Digital Technology.

   1. an object, as text or graphics, linked through hypertext to a document, another object, etc..

      Click on the link below to read the full article.

   2. the connection between elements linked by hypertext, or the code or tag content required to make such a connection.

      The website was full of broken links, typos, and images that failed to load.

8. Surveying, Civil Engineering.

   1. (in a surveyor's chain) a unit of length equal to 7.92 inches (20.12 centimeters).

   2. one of 100 rods or loops of equal length forming a surveyor's or engineer's chain.

9. Chemistry. bond.

10. Machinery. a rigid, movable piece or rod, connected with other parts by means of pivots or the like, for the purpose of transmitting motion.

    Synonyms: pin, tie, bind, fasten, conjoin, league, bond

verb (used with or without object)

1. to join by or as if by a link or links; connect; unite (often followed byup ).

   The new bridge will link the island to the mainland.

   The company will soon link up with a hotel chain.

2. Digital Technology. to create digital connections between web pages or between elements on web pages using hypertext, or to have such links on or to a web page or electronic document.

   The page is linked to my online store.

   The essay links to three of my published articles.

link 2 American [lingk] / lɪŋk /

noun

1. a torch, especially of tow and pitch.

link 1 British / lɪŋk /

noun

1. (formerly) a torch used to light dark streets

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 link 2 British / lɪŋk /

noun

1. any of the separate rings, loops, or pieces that connect or make up a chain

2. something that resembles such a ring, loop, or piece

3. a road, rail, air, or sea connection, as between two main routes

4. a connecting part or episode

5. a connecting piece in a mechanism, often having pivoted ends

6. Also called: radio link. a system of transmitters and receivers that connect two locations by means of radio and television signals

7. a unit of length equal to one hundredth of a chain. 1 link of a Gunter's chain is equal to 7.92 inches, and of an engineer's chain to 1 foot

8. computing short for hyperlink

9. an unreliable person or thing within an organization or system

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

1. (often foll by up) to connect or be connected with or as if with links

2. (tr) to connect by association, etc

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012 link Scientific / lĭngk /

1. A segment of text or a graphical item that serves as a cross-reference between parts of a webpage or other hypertext documents or between webpages or other hypertext documents.

Related Words

See bond 1.

Other Word Forms

• linkable adjective
• linker noun

Etymology

Origin of link1

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English link(e), of Scandinavian origin; compare Old Swedish lænker “chain”; cognate with Old Norse hlekkr “link” (plural, “chain”), from hlenkr (unattested); related to Old English hlence “coat of chain mail,” akin to German Gelenk “joint, link”

Origin of link1

First recorded in 1520–30; perhaps special use of link 1; the torches so called may have been made of strands twisted together in chainlike form

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"I'm reminded of the famous 'Lucy' fossil, one of our hominid ancestors that lived 3 million years ago and was one of the key 'missing links' between apes and humans," he said.

From Science Daily

Behind her back, Epstein seems to have been far from complimentary, sending another contact a link to a newspaper article about Ferguson, with the comment: "Pic of F from Friday not the prettiest sight."

From BBC

A Walmart spokeswoman said the company plans to give its response to shareholder proposals in its proxy statement and provided a link to its report on environmental, social and governance issues.

From MarketWatch

Woodroaches are close relatives of termites and live in small family groups, making them an important evolutionary link.

From Science Daily

Scotland's independent prosecution and deaths investigation service is now investigating seven deaths for potential links to the hospital environment at Glasgow's largest hospital.

From BBC

Related Words

• associate
• attach
• bind
• combine
• hook up
• identify
• join
• relate
• tie
• unite

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.