hyperlink
Pronunciation
UK
- /hˈaɪpəlˌɪŋk/
US
- /ˈhaɪpərlɪŋk/
Description
- web link
- clickable connection
- digital pathway
Imagine you're reading a story online and want to know more about one name or idea in it. A hyperlink is a word, phrase, or image you can click to jump straight to related information. It helps connect one page or file to another, so moving around online feels quick and easy.
These links are not only on websites. You can also find them in emails, documents, PDFs, and presentations. They are often shown as colored or underlined text, but they can also appear as buttons or images. Instead of typing a full web address, you just click and go there at once. Without them, finding your way around the internet would be much slower.
A hyperlink (often shortened to just "link") is an element in a digital document—such as a webpage, email, or PDF—that allows users to navigate to another location within the same document or to a completely different resource online. It's essentially a bridge between two pieces of information.
The visible part of a hyperlink is usually text (like "Click here to learn more") or an image. When you click on this element, your computer follows the embedded address (called a URL) and takes you to the linked destination. This could be another webpage, a specific section within the same page, a downloadable file, or even a command to open an email draft.
Hyperlinks are fundamental to how the internet works. They create the web's interconnected structure, allowing users to easily explore vast amounts of data. Search engines like Google rely heavily on hyperlinks to understand the relationships between different websites and to rank them in search results.
Beyond simple navigation, hyperlinks can also be used to trigger specific actions, such as opening new tabs, playing a video, or starting a download. They are the invisible threads that weave together the digital world, making information accessible and interactive. So next time you click on something online, remember—you're traveling through the power of hyperlinks!
Examples
- 1
Web article
Click the hyperlink at the bottom of the page to see the full article.
- 2
Email booking
She added a hyperlink to the booking form in the email.
- 3
Website issue
One of the hyperlinks on the homepage was broken.
- 4
PDF navigation
In the PDF, each chapter title is a hyperlink to a different section.
- 5
Source links
The report hyperlinks every statistic to its original source.
Pattern
hyperlink X to Y
connect X directly to Y
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- hyperlinknounverb
Forms
- hyperlinkspluralnounverb
- hyperlinkedpast tenseverbnoun
- hyperlinking-ing formverbnoun