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

Volunteers can adopt a fishing line recovery bin in their area. —Joe Rassel, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 May 2025

Ship strikes and entanglements in fishing lines aggravate losses to starvation. —Sruthi Gurudev Jules Jacobs, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025

The firefighter opens the bag, brings it up around the bird’s body and head, closes the opening to stop the bird from trying to fly off and cuts the fishing line, the video shows. —Brooke Baitinger, Sacbee.com, 8 Apr. 2025

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