fishing line

noun

: a long line or cord attached to a hook and used for fishing

also : the type of line designed for this purpose

a length of fishing line

—used specifically for a strong, usually monofilament cord made from a polymer (such as nylon or Dacron)

… is held firm in the pot by plaster of paris and covered with sphagnum moss bound with clear fishing line.

—Patricia Leigh Brown

Just about any string, cord or thread will do for a kite line, but because the best line supplied adequate strength with minimal wind resistance and weight, a thin, strong line is clearly better than a thick, weak one. Monofilament fishing line has both qualities, but many kiters shun it for the same reason fishermen curse it: it gets hopelessly tangled up in itself.

—Robert Kimber

Examples of fishing line in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Recently, volunteers spotted two turtles entangled in fishing line. —Jaclyn Cosgrove, Los Angeles Times, 24 Apr. 2025

Volunteers needed to recover fishing line: Volusia County needs environmentally minded volunteers to participate in the Monofilament Recovery and Recycling Program. —Joe Rassel, The Orlando Sentinel, 23 Apr. 2025

Volunteers can adopt a fishing line recovery bin in their area. —Joe Rassel, The Orlando Sentinel, 2 Apr. 2025

Anglers set their fishing lines off the coast of El Salvador and waited. —Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 24 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for fishing line

• acridine
• alkaline
• andesine
• anodyne
• anticline
• arginine
• asinine
• atropine
• benzidine
• borderline
• byzantine
• calamine