ling

¹

[ ling ]

noun

, plural (especially collectively) ling, (especially referring to two or more kinds or species) lings.

1. an elongated, marine, gadid food fish, Molva molva, of Greenland and northern Europe.
2. the burbot.
3. any of various other elongated food fishes.

-ling

²

1. a suffix of nouns, often pejorative, denoting one concerned with ( hireling; underling ), or diminutive ( princeling; duckling ).

ling

³

[ ling ]

noun

1. the heather, Calluna vulgaris.

-ling

⁴

1. an adverbial suffix expressing direction, position, state, etc.:

   darkling; sideling.

ling.

⁵

abbreviation for

1. linguistics.

ling

¹

/ lɪŋ /

noun

1. any of several gadoid food fishes of the northern coastal genus Molva, esp M. molva, having an elongated body with long fins
2. another name for burbot

ling.

²

abbreviation for

1. linguistics

-ling

³

suffix forming nouns

1. derogatory.
   a person or thing belonging to or associated with the group, activity, or quality specified

   underling

   nestling

2. used as a diminutive

   duckling

ling

⁴

/ lɪŋ /

noun

1. another name for heather

-ling

⁵

suffix forming adverbs

1. in a specified condition, manner, or direction

   darkling

   sideling

Derived Forms

• ˈlingy, adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of ling¹

1250–1300; Middle English ling, lenge; cognate with Dutch leng; akin to long ¹, Old Norse langa

Origin of ling²

Middle English, Old English; cognate with German -ling, Old Norse -lingr, Gothic -lings; -le, -ing ¹

Origin of ling³

1325–75; Middle English lyng < Old Norse lyng

Origin of ling⁴

Middle English, Old English; adv. use of gradational variant lang long ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of ling¹

C13: probably from Low German; related to long ¹

Origin of ling²

Old English -ling, of Germanic origin; related to Icelandic -lingr, Gothic -lings

Origin of ling³

C14: from Old Norse lyng

Origin of ling⁴

Old English -ling, adverbial suffix

Example Sentences

A misshapen, pocked rectangle of line-caught ling cod carried a wafting fishy scent, its surface over-salted and cooked hard, the interior flesh chewing into little fibers, the plating indifferent, the accompaniments misguided.

From Seattle Times

It’s also known for ling cod and as a great place to go crabbing without a boat.

From Seattle Times

Chef Eric Rivera loves using it to coat “lean and thin fish like petrale sole, or thin sliced fish like a ling cod or halibut,” he said.

From Washington Post

For an entree, I ordered the crispy Alaskan ling cod and chips.

From Seattle Times

The secluded patch of ground is now a summery enclosure of pink, purple and yellow, with bell heather, ling and gorse flowers; rowans are laden in scarlet berries and stunted brambles creep across the banks.

From The Guardian