ling
1 of 4noun (1)
ˈliŋ 
1
: any of various fishes (such as a hake or burbot) of the cod family
2
: lingcod
ling
2 of 4noun (2)
: a heath plant
especially : a common Old World heather (Calluna vulgaris)
-ling
3 of 4noun suffix
1
: one connected with or having the quality of
hireling
2
: young, small, or inferior one
duckling
-ling
4 of 4adverb 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
Kids Definition
-ling
noun suffix
ling
1
: one associated with
nestling
2
: young, small, or minor one
duckling