online
Language: English
Part of speech: adj
Pronunciation: enpr: ŏn'līn"
ipa: /ˈɒnlaɪn/
note: dialects of the US with, lot–cloth split
ipa: /ˈɔnlaɪn/
note: of Canada
ipa: /ˈɑnlaɪn/
note: of the US
ipa: /ˈɒnlaɪn/
ipa: /ˈɔnlɑen/
ipa: /ˈɒnlaɪn/
ipa: [ˈɔ̟nlɑe̯n]
enpr: ŏnlīn'
ipa: /ɒnˈlaɪn/
note: dialects of the US with, lot–cloth split
ipa: /ɔnˈlaɪn/
note: of Canada
ipa: /ɑnˈlaɪn/
note: of the US
ipa: /ɒnˈlaɪn/
ipa: /ɔnˈlɑen/
ipa: /ɒnˈlaɪn/
ipa: [ɔ̟nˈlɑe̯n]
rhymes: -aɪn
Forms: form: more online
form: most online
form: on-line
Etymology: 1950, from on + line.
Senses: glosses: Of a system: connected (generally electrically) to a larger network.
Of a generator or power plant: connected to the grid.
examples: text: Is this modem online?
glosses: Of a system: connected (generally electrically) to a larger network.
Of a computer: actively connected to the Internet or to some other communications service.
examples: text: In America alone, people spent $170 billion on “direct marketing”—junk mail of both the physical and electronic varieties—last year. Yet of those who received unsolicited adverts through the post, only 3% bought anything as a result. If the bumf arrived electronically, the take-up rate was 0.1%. And for online adverts the “conversion” into sales was a minuscule 0.01%.
ref: 2013 May 25, “No hiding place”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8837, page 74:
text: The online world was meant to be an open system but has become dominated by huge corporations.
ref: 2024 May 4, John Naughton, “The internet is in decline – it needs rewilding”, in The Guardian:
text: I prefer to read online newspapers.
glosses: Available over, or delivered from, the Internet.
examples: text: I'll be online tonight, so I'll be able to reply to your email.
glosses: Connected to the Internet.
examples: text: Press the F1 key to access the online help.
text: The program comes with an online manual, supplied on compact disc.
glosses: Available on a computer system, even if not networked.
examples: text: The power is online.
text: Once this factory comes online, it will double car production in our country!
glosses: Of a system: active, particularly building facilities (such as power) or a factory or power plant.
examples: text: terminally online
text: To borrow an idiom from the extremely online, late Godard is a mood.
ref: 2019, A.O. Scott, “'The Image Book' Review: Godard Looks at Violence, and Movies”, in The New York Times:
text: “If we were doing a family vlog inside the house, I would not want my feet in the video. At all.” He would wear socks. He is very online. He sees the conversations.
ref: 2025 April 27, Lisa Miller, Maggie Shannon, “When a Child’s Life Becomes the Family Business”, in The New York Times, →ISSN:
glosses: Immersed in Internet culture. (Usually modified by an intensifier such as extremely or terminally)
Derived terms: word: chronically online
word: massively multiplayer online game
word: massively multiplayer online role-playing game
alt: MOOC
word: massive open online course
word: online banking
word: online date
word: online dating
word: online gambling
word: online learning
word: onlineness
word: online newspaper
word: online public access catalog
word: onliner
word: online reality game
word: online service provider
word: online wallet
word: personal online desktop
word: terminally online