DEFINITIONS

ling

1
[ ling ]
/ lɪŋ /

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

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

Content related to ling

English Affixes From A To Z: A One-Stop List Of Suffixes, Prefixes, and Combining FormsIn English, we love to make new words by adding all sorts of bits to the front and back of existing terms. These are called affixes, and they are added to the base or stem of a word. When attached to the end of word, the affix is called a suffix. And to the beginning? A prefix.
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Words nearby ling

lines, linesman, lineswoman, lineup, liney, ling, ling., lingala, lingam, lingayat, lingayata

Origin of ling

1
1250–1300; Middle English ling, lenge; cognate with Dutch leng; akin to long1, Old Norse langa

Definition for ling (2 of 5)

ling2
[ ling ]
/ lɪŋ /

noun

the heather, Calluna vulgaris.

Origin of ling

2
1325–75; Middle English lyng < Old Norse lyng

Definition for ling (3 of 5)

ling.

linguistics.

Definition for ling (4 of 5)

-ling1

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

Origin of -ling

1
Middle English, Old English; cognate with German -ling, Old Norse -lingr, Gothic -lings; see -le, -ing1

Definition for ling (5 of 5)

-ling2

an adverbial suffix expressing direction, position, state, etc.: darkling; sideling.

Origin of -ling

2
Middle English, Old English; adv. use of gradational variant lang long1
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for ling

British Dictionary definitions for ling (1 of 5)

ling1
/ (lɪŋ) /

noun plural ling or lings

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

Word Origin for ling

C13: probably from Low German; related to long 1

British Dictionary definitions for ling (2 of 5)

ling2
/ (lɪŋ) /

noun

another name for heather (def. 1)

Derived forms of ling

lingy, adjective

Word Origin for ling

C14: from Old Norse lyng

British Dictionary definitions for ling (3 of 5)

ling.

abbreviation for

linguistics

British Dictionary definitions for ling (4 of 5)

-ling1

suffix forming nouns

often derogatory a person or thing belonging to or associated with the group, activity, or quality specifiednestling; underling
used as a diminutiveduckling

Word Origin for -ling

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

British Dictionary definitions for ling (5 of 5)

-ling2

suffix forming adverbs

in a specified condition, manner, or directiondarkling; sideling

Word Origin for -ling

Old English -ling, adverbial suffix
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