Etymologically
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This is the current revision of this entry, as edited by bogdan on 15 October 2026 at 14:06. This address is a permanent link to this version.
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Pronunciation

  • IPA: UK /ˌɒnˈlaɪn/, US /ˌɑːnˈlaɪn/, /ˌɔːnˈlaɪn/[1]

Etymology

It is a compound, from English on + line, also written on-line.[2][3]

Earliest recorded meaning

Of computers, directly connected to a peripheral device: 1950,[2][4][5] the mid-20th century in the SOED.[3]

Semantic evolution

The Historical Thesaurus records the sense “under the control of a computer” as an adverb from 1955.[5] Of an airline, “occurring on its authorized routes”, is from 1947.[5] “Into operation or production”, of a system or power station, is from 1959,[5] and “forming part of a continuous sequence of operations”, as on a production line, from 1960.[5] The sense now most common, “connected to or available through the Internet”, is given by Collins, the COED and Chambers.[6][7][8]

Timeline

  • 1947 – on an airline's routes.[5]
  • 1950 – directly connected to a computer.[2][4]
  • 1955 – adverb, under computer control.[5]
  • 1959 – into operation.[5]
  • 1960 – part of a continuous sequence of operations.[5]

Modern meaning

Adjective

  1. Connected to, or available through, the Internet or another computer network: online shopping.
  2. Directly connected to and controlled by a computer.
  3. Forming part of a continuous sequence of operations.

Adverb

  1. While connected to a computer or the Internet.
  2. (come online) Into operation.
  • offline
  • on
  • line
  • Internet

References

  1. ^ Jones, Daniel (2011), Cambridge English Pronouncing Dictionary, 18th ed., ed. Peter Roach, Jane Setter and John Esling, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press
  2. ^ a b c Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
  3. ^ a b Shorter Oxford English Dictionary on Historical Principles (2002), 5th ed., ed. William R. Trumble and Angus Stevenson, Oxford: Oxford University Press
  4. ^ a b Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary (2003), 11th ed., Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i Kay, Christian; Roberts, Jane; Samuels, Michael; Wotherspoon, Irené, eds. (2009), Historical Thesaurus of the Oxford English Dictionary, Oxford: Oxford University Press; online edition (2024)
  6. ^ Collins English Dictionary (2023), Glasgow: HarperCollins
  7. ^ Soanes, Catherine; Stevenson, Angus, eds. (2004), Concise Oxford English Dictionary, 11th ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
  8. ^ The Chambers Dictionary (2008), 11th ed., Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap