needle

English

/ˈniː.dl/

noun
Definitions
  • A fine, sharp implement usually for piercing such as sewing, or knitting, acupuncture, tattooing, body piercing, medical injections, etc.
  • Any slender, pointed object resembling a needle, such as a pointed crystal, a sharp pinnacle of rock, an obelisk, etc.
  • A fine measurement indicator on a dial or graph, e.g. a compass needle.
  • A sensor for playing phonograph records, a phonograph stylus.
  • A needle-like leaf found on some conifers.
  • A strong beam resting on props, used as a temporary support during building repairs.
  • (informal) The death penalty carried out by lethal injection.
  • (programming) A text string that is searched for within another string. (see: needle in a haystack)

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English nedle inherited from Old English nǣdl inherited from Proto-Germanic *nēþlō derived from Proto-Indo-European *(s)neh₁- (spin, sew, twist, turn), *(s)neh₁- (spin, sew, twist, turn).

Origin

Proto-Indo-European

*(s)neh₁-

Gloss

spin, sew, twist, turn

Concept
Semantic Field

Clothing and grooming

Ontological Category

Action/Process

Kanji

Emoji

Timeline

Distribution of cognates by language

Geogrpahic distribution of cognates

Cognates and derived terms