First published 1903; not yet revised More entries for "link"
linknoun1
Factsheet
What does the noun link mean?
There are three meanings listed in OED's entry for the noun link. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.
Entry status
OED is undergoing a continuous programme of revision to modernize and improve definitions. This entry has not yet been fully revised.
How common is the noun link?
About 0.3occurrences per million words in modern written English
| 1750 | 0.023 |
| 1760 | 0.024 |
| 1770 | 0.028 |
| 1780 | 0.032 |
| 1790 | 0.033 |
| 1800 | 0.037 |
| 1810 | 0.042 |
| 1820 | 0.045 |
| 1830 | 0.051 |
| 1840 | 0.058 |
| 1850 | 0.066 |
| 1860 | 0.072 |
| 1870 | 0.077 |
| 1880 | 0.081 |
| 1890 | 0.083 |
| 1900 | 0.084 |
| 1910 | 0.085 |
| 1920 | 0.088 |
| 1930 | 0.096 |
| 1940 | 0.11 |
| 1950 | 0.13 |
| 1960 | 0.16 |
| 1970 | 0.21 |
| 1980 | 0.26 |
| 1990 | 0.31 |
| 2000 | 0.34 |
| 2010 | 0.36 |
How is the noun link pronounced?
British English
/lɪŋk/
U.S. English
/lɪŋk/
Where does the noun link come from?
Earliest known use
Old English
The earliest known use of the noun link is in the Old English period (pre-1150).
link is a word inherited from Germanic.
In other dictionaries
Nearby entries
- lininess, n.1857–
- lining, n.¹1401–
- lining, n.²1574–
- lining, n.³1611
- lining, adj.1853–
- linish, v.1971–
- linisher, n.1943–
- linishing, n.1945–
- linition, n.1889–
- linitis, n.1859–
- link, n.¹Old English–
- link, n.²c1440–
- link, n.³1526–
- link, adj.1889–
- link, v.¹?a1412–
- link, v.²1718–
- linkage, n.1874–
- link-block, n.1876–
- link-boy, n.1660–
- link buttons, n.1895–
- linked, adj.a1450–
Meaning & use
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Etymology
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Pronunciation
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Forms
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Frequency
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Compounds & derived words
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Entry history for link, n.¹
link, n.1 was first published in 1903; not yet revised
link, n.1 was last modified in July 2023
Revision of the OED is a long-term project. Entries in oed.com which have not been revised may include:
- corrections and revisions to definitions, pronunciation, etymology, headwords, variant spellings, quotations, and dates;
- new senses, phrases, and quotations which have been added in subsequent print and online updates.
Revisions and additions of this kind were last incorporated into link, n.1 in July 2023.
Earlier versions of link, n.1 were published in:
OED First Edition (1903)
OED Second Edition (1989)
Cite
Chicago
Oxford English Dictionary, s.v. “”, . <>
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MLA9
“”. Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford University Press, , <>
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