linker

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

link¹ /lɪŋk/   n. 

[countable]
1. one of the rings or separate pieces that form a chain.
2. anything that connects one part or thing with another;
   a bond or tie:
   The locket was a link with her past.
3. Food any of a number of connected sausages.
4. Jewelry cuff link.

v. 

5. to join by or as if by a link or links;
   unite: [~ + object + to + object]
   The new bridge will link the island to the mainland.
   [~ (+ up) + object + and/with + object]
   The new bridge will link (up) the island and the mainland.
   [~ (+ up)]
   The company will soon link up with a hotel chain.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

link¹  (lingk), n. 

1. one of the rings or separate pieces of which a chain is composed.
2. anything serving to connect one part or thing with another;
   a bond or tie:
   The locket was a link with the past.
3. Telecommunications a unit in a communications system, as a radio relay station or a television booster station.
4. Food any of a series of sausages in a chain.
5. Jewelry a cuff link.
6. a ring, loop, or the like:
   a link of hair.
7. Computing an object, as text or graphics, linked through hypertext to a document, another object, etc.
8. [Survey., Civ. Engin.]
   • Surveying (in a surveyor's chain) a unit of length equal to 7.92 inches (20.12 centimeters).
   • Surveying one of 100 rods or loops of equal length forming a surveyor's or engineer's chain.
9. Chemistry bond¹ (def. 15).
10. Mechanical Engineering [Mach.] a rigid, movable piece or rod, connected with other parts by means of pivots or the like, for the purpose of transmitting motion.

v.t., v.i. 

11. to join by or as if by a link or links;
    connect;
    unite (often fol. by up):
    The new bridge will link the island to the mainland. The company will soon link up with a hotel chain.

• Old Danish lænkia chain; cognate with Old Norse hlekkr link (plural, chain), Old English hlence coat of chain mail, akin to German Gelenk joint
• late Middle English link(e) 1375–1425

link′er, n. 
Synonyms

• 2. connection, connective, copula.
• 10. bond, league, conjoin, fasten, bind, tie, pin.

link²  (lingk), n. 

1. a torch, esp. of tow and pitch.

• 1520–30; perh. special use of link¹; the torches so called may have been made of strands twisted together in chainlike form

link¹, +n. 

1. Computing an object, as text or graphics, linked through hypertext to a document, another object, etc.