Hyperlink
/ˈhaɪ.pər.lɪŋk/noun
A clickable reference in digital text that takes you to another document, page, or location.
Did you know?The first part, hyper-, comes from Greek and means “over” or “beyond,” while link is just an English word for a chain or connection—so the word itself literally frames the internet as a chain of crossings.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
ὑπέρ (hypér)
“over, above, beyond”
Old English
English
hlenc
“a link or chain loop”
Middle English
English
linke
“a ring or loop in a chain; a connection”
1960s
English
hyperlink
“a computer term for a link that connects one digital location to another”
Modern English
English
hyperlink
“a clickable reference that opens another page, file, or location”
Explore more surprising origins