ink

CEFRB1

/ˈɪŋk/

noun

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    noun

    Colored liquid used for writing, drawing, or printing.

  2. 02

    noun

    Extra detail

    A particular type, color or container of this fluid.

Examples

  • My ballpoint pen just ran out of ink.

  • Printing ink is in short supply.

At a glance

Sits at B1 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
1
Citations
5
Synonyms
5

Also pronounced

  • /ˈeɪ̯ŋk/
  • /ˈiŋk/

Deep Dive

noun

Extra meanings

  1. The black or dark-colored fluid ejected by squid, octopus etc, as a protective strategy.

  2. A pigment (or dye)-based fluid used for writing, printing etc.

  3. Tattoo work.

More examples

In context

  • The TSA has been getting a lot of ink lately.

  • This form should be filled out in ink.

  • Blotting paper absorbs ink.

Synonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

The artist carefully filled the fountain pen with blue blank before writing the letter.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

noun

From Middle English ynke, from Old French enque, from Latin encaustum (“purple ink used by Roman emperors to sign documents”), from Ancient Greek ἔγκαυστον (énkauston, “burned-in”), from ἐν (en, “in”) + καίω (kaíō, “burn”). In this sense, displaced native Old English blæc (“ink”, literally “black”). Sense four refers to the ink used in newspapers.