hyperlink

American  

[hahy-per-lingk] / ˈhaɪ pərˌlɪŋk /

noun

hyperlinks plural

1. link.

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verb (used with object)

1. 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.

   an extensively hyperlinked document.

verb (used without object)

1. to have, establish, or follow a connection from one web page or one object to another: I want to hyperlink from the table of contents to the specific articles in the newsletter.

   The app hyperlinks to content from social media feeds.

   I want to hyperlink from the table of contents to the specific articles in the newsletter.

   From their web page, you can hyperlink to employment sites.

hyperlink British  

/ ˈhaɪpəˌlɪŋk /

noun

1. a word, phrase, picture, icon, etc, in a computer document on which a user may click to move to another part of the document or to another document

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verb

1. (tr) to link (files) in this way

hyperlink Scientific  

/ hī′pər-lĭngk′ /

1. See link

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hyperlink Cultural  

1. A way of connecting different Web pages together on the Internet. A hyperlink is a word or graphic display on one Web page that allows a computer to shift to another related Web page. Also called a link.

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• hyperlinks
  plural

Etymology

Origin of hyperlink

First recorded in 1990–95; hyper- ( def. ) + link ¹ (in the computer sense)

Explanation

A hyperlink is a bit of text on a web site that takes you to another site when you click on it. Most hyperlinks are highlighted in a different color from the surrounding text. In computing, hyperlinks are hidden bits of code that take you from one location to another. You can usually hover over a hyperlink and see its address, and often your cursor changes from an arrow to a pointing finger. When you click on a hyperlink, it opens a new site or file in your existing window, or in a new window or tab. The idea of hyperlinks has been around since the 1960s, with the word being coined in 1987.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

hyperlink hyperlinks

The message shows familiarity with your résumé, and it bears the signature of a real recruiter—complete with a hyperlink to a legitimate LinkedIn profile.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 16, 2026

The same year, an alert in Sonoma County was sent to a larger area than intended, while another included a hyperlink to an evacuation map for the 2016 Kincade fire.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 24, 2025

Players occasionally receive tips via an in-game mail service, leading to a hyperlink or message board that kick-starts an investigation.

From New York Times ● Feb. 5, 2024

The internet prank, which saw people tricked into clicking on a hyperlink that lead to the video for his debut single, has seen the song receive 1.4 billion views on YouTube to date.

From BBC ● Oct. 17, 2023

The text in the list of illustrations matches the original; each hyperlink in the illustration list links to the page number closest to the image’s placement.

From Our Southern Highlanders by Kephart, Horace

I also did tasks like rolling through a Word document full of hyperlinks, converting each of them to a footnote.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 16, 2026

My idea of being extra nice and helpful around the holidays was mocking up a digital version of the wishlist, complete with hyperlinks, in case that made shopping any easier.

From Salon ● Dec. 3, 2025

Keep it focused, acknowledge detractors and keep it credible with hyperlinks to established sources.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 22, 2023

“You don’t have to prostrate yourself to the usual conformist rules,” a friend tells Jack, explaining hyperlinks but not just that.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 15, 2023

The hyperlinks in the list of Illustrations have been changed to reflect this movement.

From Facing Death The Hero of the Vaughan Pit. A Tale of the Coal Mines by Henty, G. A. (George Alfred)