Main Entry: node

Pronunciation: \ˈnōd\

Function: noun

Etymology: Middle English, from Latin nodus knot, node; akin to Middle Irish naidm bond

Date: 15th century

1 a : a pathological swelling or enlargement (as of a rheumatic joint) b : a discrete mass of one kind of tissue enclosed in tissue of a different kind
2 : an entangling complication (as in a drama) : predicament
3 : either of the two points where the orbit of a planet or comet intersects the ecliptic; also : either of the points at which the orbit of an earth satellite crosses the plane of the equator
4 a : a point, line, or surface of a vibrating body or system that is free or relatively free from vibratory motion b : a point at which a wave has an amplitude of zero
5 a : a point at which subsidiary parts originate or center b : a point on a stem at which a leaf or leaves are inserted c : a point at which a curve intersects itself in such a manner that the branches have different tangents d : vertex 1b