online English · revision 2553

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=1950}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /ˌɒnˈlaɪn/, US /ˌɑːnˈlaɪn/, /ˌɔːnˈlaɪn/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is a compound, [[af|en|on|line]], also written [[on-line]].^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Of computers, directly connected to a peripheral device: 1950,^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)^(HTOED) the mid-20th century in the SOED.^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The Historical Thesaurus records the sense “under the control of a computer” as an adverb from 1955.^(HTOED) Of an airline, “occurring on its authorized routes”, is from 1947.^(HTOED) “Into operation or production”, of a system or power station, is from 1959,^(HTOED) and “forming part of a continuous sequence of operations”, as on a production line, from 1960.^(HTOED) The sense now most common, “connected to or available through the Internet”, is given by Collins, the COED and Chambers.^(Collins 2023)^(COED 2004)^(Chambers 2008)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1947 – on an airline's routes.^(HTOED)

+ * 1950 – directly connected to a computer.^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1955 – adverb, under computer control.^(HTOED)

+ * 1959 – into operation.^(HTOED)

+ * 1960 – part of a continuous sequence of operations.^(HTOED)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Connected to, or available through, the [[Internet]] or another computer network: ''online shopping''.^(Collins 2023)^(COED 2004)

+ # Directly connected to and controlled by a [[computer]].^(SOED 2002)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # Forming part of a continuous sequence of operations.^(Collins 2023)^(HTOED)

+

+ ===Adverb===

+ # While connected to a computer or the Internet.^(Collins 2023)^(SOED 2002)

+ # ''(come online)'' Into operation.^(Collins 2023)^(HTOED)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[offline]]

+ * [[on]]

+ * [[line]]

+ * [[Internet]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}