ling

1 of 4

noun (1)

ˈliŋ 

1

: any of various fishes (such as a hake or burbot) of the cod family

2

: lingcod

ling

2 of 4

noun (2)

: a heath plant

especially : a common Old World heather (Calluna vulgaris)

-ling

3 of 4

noun suffix

1

: one connected with or having the quality of

hireling

2

: young, small, or inferior one

duckling

-ling

4 of 4

adverb suffix

variants or -lings

: in (such) a direction or manner

sideling

flatling

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English; akin to Dutch leng ling, Old English lang long

Noun (2)

Middle English, from Old Norse lyng

Noun suffix

Middle English, from Old English; akin to Old English -ing

Adverb suffix

Middle English -ling (from Old English), -linges (from -ling + -es -s); akin to Old High German -lingūn -ling, Old English lang long

First Known Use

Noun (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing ling

• ding-a-ling

• ding-a-ling

Kids Definition

-ling

noun suffix

liŋ

1

: one connected with or having the quality of

hireling

2

: young, small, or minor one

duckling