node

IPA/nəʊd/
KK[nˈod]IPA/nəʊd/

node — noun

  • nodesingular
  • nodesplural

1. any device — for example a computer, printer, or phone — that is linked to a lar

1.nounB2
Definition

any device — for example a computer, printer, or phone — that is linked to a larger network and can send or receive data

Example

Each node on the office network has its own IP address so data can reach the right device.

node + IP address (networking context)

When a single node fails in a mesh network, the other devices find a new path to communicate.

Common collocations
  • network node
  • central node
  • server node
  • cluster node
  • wireless node
  • edge node
  • node in a network
Synonyms
  • device

    broader term for any piece of hardware; does not specifically imply network connection

  • terminal

    historically meant a dumb terminal; now less common than 'node' for general network devices

  • host

    a computer that provides services on a network; more specific than 'node'

  • workstation

    a computer used by a person, not any network device

Grammar Patterns

network + node

node + on + [network]

[adjective] + node

Usage Note

In computing, any device with a unique network address qualifies as a node — not just computers but also printers, routers, smart sensors, and phones. The term is especially common when discussing network topology.

Common Mistakes

My phone is on the node.
My phone is connected to the network as a node.
A node is a role a device has on a network, not a physical location you connect 'to.'

2. a point or location where multiple lines, routes, or systems meet and connect to

2.nounB2
Definition

a point or location where multiple lines, routes, or systems meet and connect to one another

Example

London is a major transport node where several railway lines and motorways converge.

major transport node (common collocation)

The telecommunications network relies on switching nodes that route data between cities.

Common collocations
  • transport node
  • central node
  • key node
  • communication node
  • switching node
  • node in a network
Synonyms
  • junction

    more concrete; used for physical roads, railways, or pipes meeting

  • hub

    implies a central, busy point of activity rather than any connection point

  • intersection

    limited to lines or roads crossing; does not convey multiple systems

  • nexus

    more formal or literary; suggests a central focus of connections

Antonyms
  • endpoint

    a terminal point rather than a connecting point

Grammar Patterns

[adjective] + node

node + in + [system]

node + of + [network]

Usage Note

Frequently used in transport, telecommunications, and data systems. Unlike 'junction' (mainly physical roads or rails) or 'intersection' (roads crossing at grade), 'node' includes abstract or system-wide points where connections happen.

Common Mistakes

Turn left at the next road node.
Turn left at the next road junction.
For physical roads, 'junction' or 'intersection' is natural; 'node' sounds overly technical.

3. a small rounded lump of bodily tissue, often part of the immune system, that fil

3.nounB2
Definition

a small rounded lump of bodily tissue, often part of the immune system, that filters fluids or helps fight infection

Example

The doctor felt a swollen node under Defne's jaw and ordered a blood test.

swollen node (common symptom description)

Lymph nodes throughout the body help trap bacteria and other harmful particles.

lymph node definitional collocation

Common collocations
  • lymph node
  • swollen node
  • tender node
  • lymphatic node
  • sinus node
  • node in the neck
Synonyms
  • gland

    often confused with node; glands secrete substances, whereas nodes filter fluid and house immune cells

  • nodule

    a small rounded lump; can apply to tissue but less specific than 'node' in anatomy

  • lump

    non-technical term for any abnormal swelling; less precise

Grammar Patterns

lymph + node

[adjective] + node

node + in + [body part]

Usage Note

Most commonly encountered in the phrase 'lymph node.' Swollen or tender nodes often indicate the body is fighting an infection. The term also refers to other small tissue masses such as nerve nodes or sinus nodes.

Common Mistakes

He had swollen nodes on his arm muscles.
He had swollen lymph nodes in his armpit.
Nodes are small tissue masses, most commonly lymph nodes found in the neck, armpits, and groin — not on muscles.

4. a small bump on a plant stem where a leaf, branch, or bud emerges

4.nounB1
Definition

a small bump on a plant stem where a leaf, branch, or bud emerges

Example

The gardener pruned the rose bush just above a healthy node to encourage new growth.

prune above a node (gardening technique)

Each node on the bamboo stem can produce a new shoot if the conditions are right.

Common collocations
  • leaf node
  • stem node
  • swollen node
  • internode
  • cut above a node
  • node of a plant
Synonyms
  • joint

    less precise; suggests a flexible connection, whereas node refers to a specific growth point on a stem

  • knot

    informal; can mean a hard lump on a tree trunk, but not the regular growth point of a stem

  • swelling

    describes the visible bump but not the botanical function

Grammar Patterns

node + of + [plant]

[plant] + node

Usage Note

The node is often visible as a slight swelling or ring on the stem. Gardeners cut just above a node when pruning because that is where new growth will emerge.

Common Mistakes

My rose bush has nodes on its leaves.
My rose bush has nodes on its stem.
Nodes form on the stem where leaves attach, not on the leaf itself.

Word family

  • nodal
    adjectiveB2
  • nodule
    nounC1
  • nodular
    adjectiveC1
  • internode
    nounC1
  • nodal point
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

All five words describe a point where things meet, but they differ in scope and register. Node is the most versatile: it works for physical networks (transport, power grids) as well as abstract or digital systems, and it implies a point within a larger connected structure. Junction is more concrete and physical — it primarily describes where roads, railways, or pipes meet, and is rarely used for abstract networks. Hub adds the idea of activity and importance: a hub is not just a connection point but the busiest or most central one. Intersection is the narrowest, referring specifically to where two lines or routes cross at the same level. Nexus is the most formal and literary, suggesting a focal point where multiple strands converge (e.g., 'a nexus of ideas'). For everyday use: 'Turn at the next junction' (driving), 'the city is a major transport hub' (central importance), 'the router is a node on the network' (technical).

node ↗junction ↗hub ↗intersection ↗nexus ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

  • leaf node
  • lymph node
  • network node
  • transport node
  • server node
  • switching node

Prepositions

  • node in (a network)
  • node on (a stem/network)
  • node of (a system/plant)

Etymology

LatinEnglish

Node comes directly from the Latin word nodus, meaning 'knot.' In medieval Latin, nodus was used for knots in string and later for knobby joints in the body and swelling on plants. English adopted it in the 1400s for astronomy (the points where planetary orbits cross a reference plane) and gradually extended it to botany, anatomy, and, in the 20th century, computing and network theory.