network

American  

[net-wurk] / ˈnɛtˌwɜrk /

noun

• networks
  plural

1. any netlike combination of filaments, lines, veins, passages, or the like.

   a network of arteries; a network of sewers under the city.

2. Radio and Television.

   1. a group of transmitting stations linked by wire or microwave relay so that the same program can be broadcast or telecast by all.

   2. a company or organization that provides programs to be broadcast over these stations.

      She was hired by the network as program coordinator.

3. Telecommunications, Computers. a system containing any combination of computers, computer terminals, printers, audio or visual display devices, or telephones interconnected by telecommunication equipment or cables: used to transmit or receive information.

4. an association of individuals having a common interest, formed to provide mutual assistance, helpful information, or the like.

   a network of recent college graduates.

5. a system of interrelated buildings, offices, stations, etc., especially over a large area or throughout a country, territory, region, etc..

   a network of supply depots.

6. Electricity. an arrangement of conducting elements, as resistors, capacitors, or inductors, connected by conducting wire.

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verb (used without object)

1. to cultivate people who can be helpful to one professionally, especially in finding employment or moving to a higher position.

   His business lunches were taken up with networking.

verb (used with object)

1. to place (as a program from a local radio or television station) in or on a network.

   The station will try to network the local cooking show.

2. to connect to a network.

   Our freelancers are networked to the same system as our regular employees.

3. to distribute widely.

   We charge a small fee for networking your résumé.

4. to cover with or as if with a network.

   to network a bay with buoys.

5. to organize into a network.

   to network the state's independent stations.

6. to broadcast (a program) over a radio or television network.

network British  

/ ˈnɛtˌwɜːk /

noun

1. an interconnected group or system

   a network of shops

2. Also: net.  a system of intersecting lines, roads, veins, etc

3. another name for net 1 netting

4. radio television a group of broadcasting stations that all transmit the same programme simultaneously

5. electronics a system of interconnected components or circuits

6. computing a system of interconnected computer systems, terminals, and other equipment allowing information to be exchanged

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verb

1. (tr) radio television to broadcast on stations throughout the country

   the Scotland–England match was networked

2. computing (of computers, terminals, etc) to connect or be connected

3. (intr) to form business contacts through informal social meetings

network Scientific  

/ nĕt′wûrk′ /

1. A system of computers and peripherals, such as printers, that are linked together. A network can consist of as few as two computers connected with cables or millions of computers that are spread over a large geographical area and are connected by telephone lines, fiberoptic cables, or radio waves. The Internet is an example of very large network.

2. See more at LAN WAN

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network Cultural  

1. A system of computers that are joined together so that they can communicate by exchanging information and sharing resources. (See Internet and lan.)

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• networker
  noun
• subnetwork
  noun
• supernetwork
  noun
• nonnetwork
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• networks
  plural

Etymology

Origin of network

First recorded in 1550–60, and in 1910–15 network for def. 2; net ¹ + work

Explanation

A network is any interconnected system. The Internet is a network of computers all talking to one another. A subway is a network of interconnected train lines running underneath the city. A wise man once said that if the atom was the symbol of the 20th century, the network should be the symbol of the 21st. Increasingly our world relies on networks, the vast interconnected systems of people, electronics, ideas and even resources. To put pressure on any one part of a network is to put pressure on all parts, because, by definition, a network is interconnected. Whether the network is a television network, a cellular network, or a social network — each is a vast system of interconnected parts.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

network networks

Fatal train accidents are rare in Japan, which relies on a sprawling railway network.

From BBC ● Aug. 20, 2026

"It will be a combination of economic isolation, like the world has never seen before," Bessent told conservative television network Newsmax.

From Barron's ● Aug. 20, 2026

A brain network known as the frontoparietal cortex plays a major role in managing this flow of information.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 20, 2026

The network, formerly known as MSNBC, has never been available without a pay-TV subscription.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026

Meanwhile, thanks to Revere and Dawes, church bells rang and muskets fired—warning signals from the Patriot network that the British were coming.

From "George Washington, Spymaster" by Thomas B. Allen

“Well, 40 years ago, people didn’t want to talk about a 24-hour sports network either as if competing with ‘The Big Three’ broadcast networks was taboo.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026

They are relying more heavily on their networks, learning how to use AI and sharpening their communication skills and personal qualities — such as coachability, curiosity and reliability — to find work and stay employed.

From MarketWatch ● Aug. 19, 2026

It notably doesn’t apply to other forms of media, including cable networks, podcasts and social media.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 18, 2026

The new framework proposes that the brain learns these recurring patterns and stores them within networks of synapses.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 18, 2026

The aim was to create a communications system that would go across multiple networks, making it less vulnerable to attack or instability.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel

Related Words

• chain
• grid
• net
• organization
• structure
• system
• web