hyperlink
UK[ˈhaɪpəlɪŋk]US[ˈhaɪpərlɪŋk]
n
a word, phrase, or image in an electronic document that you can click on to move to a different part of the same document or to a different document or website.
Morpheme Breakdown
hyper
link
hyper
over, beyond
link
connection
Etymology
the term 'hyperlink' is a modern digital-age compound, ingeniously constructed from two ancient roots to describe a new technological function. the prefix 'hyper-', derived from the greek 'huper' meaning 'over' or 'beyond', was adopted into scientific and technical vocabulary to denote transcendence of normal limits. it is combined with 'link', a word of old english and proto-germanic origin referring to a physical ring of a chain or a connection. the fusion in the late 20th century logically captures the essence of a digital connection that allows users to leap 'beyond' the current document or location to another, creating a non-linear, web-like structure of information.
Analysis
Structure: hyper (over, beyond) + link (connection)
hyper: from greek, via latin, meaning 'over, beyond, excessive'. functions as a prefix indicating extension or connection beyond a standard boundary.
link: from old english hlencan (to twist, to join), from proto-germanic. functions as the core noun/verb denoting a connection or tie.
Examples
click on the blue hyperlink to read the full article.
the document contains several hyperlinks to related research papers.
you can create a hyperlink by highlighting the text and pressing ctrl+k.