ling

Multiple Entries:
  ling    -ling  

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
ling1

▶noun a long-bodied edible marine fish of the cod family. [Molva molva (E. Atlantic) and other species.]

– origin ME lenge, prob. from MDu.; rel. to long1.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
ling2

▶noun the common heather. [Calluna vulgaris.]

– origin ME: from ON lyng, of unknown origin.

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
-ling/lɪŋ/

▶suffix

• 1 forming nouns from nouns (e.g. hireling).

• 2 forming nouns from adjectives and adverbs (e.g. underling).

• 3 forming diminutive nouns: gosling.

  ■ with derogatory reference: princeling.

– origin OE; sense 3 from ON.