ling

¹

[ ling ]

noun

, plural (especially collectively) ling, (especially referring to two or more kinds or species) lings.

1. an elongated, marine, gadid food fish, Molva molva, of Greenland and northern Europe.
2. the burbot.
3. any of various other elongated food fishes.

-ling

²

1. a suffix of nouns, often pejorative, denoting one concerned with ( hireling; underling ), or diminutive ( princeling; duckling ).

ling

³

[ ling ]

noun

1. the heather, Calluna vulgaris.

-ling

⁴

1. an adverbial suffix expressing direction, position, state, etc.:

   darkling; sideling.

ling.

⁵

abbreviation for

1. linguistics.

ling

¹

/ lɪŋ /

noun

1. any of several gadoid food fishes of the northern coastal genus Molva, esp M. molva, having an elongated body with long fins
2. another name for burbot

ling.

²

abbreviation for

1. linguistics

-ling

³

suffix forming nouns

1. derogatory.
   a person or thing belonging to or associated with the group, activity, or quality specified

   underling

   nestling

2. used as a diminutive

   duckling

ling

⁴

/ lɪŋ /

noun

1. another name for heather

-ling

⁵

suffix forming adverbs

1. in a specified condition, manner, or direction

   darkling

   sideling

Derived Forms

• ˈlingy, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of ling¹

1250–1300; Middle English ling, lenge; cognate with Dutch leng; akin to long ¹, Old Norse langa

Origin of ling²

Middle English, Old English; cognate with German -ling, Old Norse -lingr, Gothic -lings; -le, -ing ¹

Origin of ling³

1325–75; Middle English lyng < Old Norse lyng

Origin of ling⁴

Middle English, Old English; adv. use of gradational variant lang long ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of ling¹

C13: probably from Low German; related to long ¹

Origin of ling²

Old English -ling, of Germanic origin; related to Icelandic -lingr, Gothic -lings

Origin of ling³

C14: from Old Norse lyng

Origin of ling⁴

Old English -ling, adverbial suffix

Example Sentences

But the best luxury hotel, he says, is a completely Bhutanese venture: Zhiwa Ling in Paro.

From The Daily Beast

Of Zamora, the children have always asked questions, which Winick and Ling try and answer as openly as possible.

From The Daily Beast

Winick and Ling still miss Zamora with a “sharp pang of grief.”

From The Daily Beast

Last week, the Hong Kong–based South China Morning Post revealed the driver was the son of senior official Ling Jihua.

From The Daily Beast

Police refused to name the driver—later reported to be Ling Gu, 23, the son of an influential ally of Chinese President Hu Jintao.

From The Daily Beast

It is recorded by one writer that Chang Kiu-ling, when a youth, trained pigeons to carry letters to his friends.

From Project Gutenberg

He hit Ling on the lower end of the breastbone, where his belly would be softest.

From Project Gutenberg

The plain was well-grassed, as high as Ling's knuckled knee.

From Project Gutenberg

I'm falling into the beast-man class, closer to Ling's type.

From Project Gutenberg

Ling grimaced, but followed lest his companions think him afraid.

From Project Gutenberg