Network

//ˈnɛt.wɝk// noun, verb

noun, verb ·Common ·High school level

Definitions

Noun
  1. 1
    Any interconnected group or system.

    "A network of roads crisscrossed the country."

  2. 2
    an open fabric of string or rope or wire woven together at regular intervals wordnet
  3. 3
    Any interconnected group or system.; A set of people with sociocultural connections to one another; especially, such a set consisting of occupational or business connections.

    "To get a job in today's economy, it is important to have a strong network."

  4. 4
    (broadcasting) a communication system consisting of a group of broadcasting stations that all transmit the same programs wordnet
  5. 5
    Any interconnected group or system.; A group of affiliated television stations that broadcast common programs from a parent company.

    "2008, Lou Schuler, "Foreward", in Nate Green, Built for Show, page xi TV back then was five channels (three networks, PBS, and an independent station that ran I Love Lucy reruns), […]"

Show 5 more definitions
  1. 6
    (electronics) a system of interconnected electronic components or circuits wordnet
  2. 7
    Any interconnected group or system.; A computer network: multiple computers and other devices connected together to share information. Internet

    "The copy machine is connected to the network so it can now serve as a printer."

  3. 8
    a system of intersecting lines or channels wordnet
  4. 9
    A fabric or structure of fibrous elements attached to each other at regular intervals; the act or process of making such an object.

    "He wore a mantle of network."

  5. 10
    an interconnected system of things or people wordnet
Verb
  1. 1
    To interact socially for the purpose of getting connections or personal advancement. intransitive

    "Many people find it worthwhile to network for jobs and information."

  2. 2
    communicate with and within a group wordnet
  3. 3
    To connect two or more computers or other computerized devices. transitive

    "If we network his machine to the server, he will be able to see all the files."

  4. 4
    To interconnect a group or system. transitive
  5. 5
    To broadcast across an entire network of stations and affiliates at the same time. transitive

Synonyms

All synonyms
netarabesquearrangementbasketrybasketworkcancellation

Example

More examples

"The profane language used on network television makes many parents with young children not want to subscribe to cable."

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *neHd- Proto-Indo-European *-yós Proto-Germanic *natją Proto-West Germanic *nati Old English nett Middle English net English net Proto-Indo-European *werǵ- Proto-Indo-European *-om Proto-Indo-European *wérǵom Proto-Germanic *werką Proto-West Germanic *werk Old English weorc Middle English werk English work English network From net + work; the nonliteral sense and its subsenses are extended from the literal sense; they are now the dominant senses. Cognate with German Netzwerk.

Related phrases

Bayesian networkElman networkFeistel networkJordan networkNetwork Railaffiliate networkco-occurrence networkgenerative adversarial networkgood old boy networkintegrated services digital networklogistics networkmobile virtual network operator

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Data sourced from Wiktionary, WordNet, CMU, and other open linguistic databases. Updated March 2026.