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

Along with his late sister Lee Wei Ling, Mr Lee has long accused their brother Lee Hsien Loong of capitalising on their father's legacy to build a political dynasty.

From BBC

Steven Ling was jailed for life in 1998 for murdering Joanne Tulip, 29, in Stamfordham, Northumberland, on Christmas Day in 1997.

From BBC

Ling was initially ordered to serve at least 20 years behind bars, but in 2009 a High Court judge cut the minimum term to 18 years.

From BBC

The board was asked by the Lord Chancellor to reconsider its September ruling Ling should be released after serving 27 years of his life sentence.

From BBC

Ms Tulip's mother, Doreen Soulsby, said in September she was "very angry" at the decision to release Ling.

From BBC