language

language
noun
1 ENGLISH/FRENCH/ARABIC ETC (C, U) a system of communication by written or spoken words, which is used by the people of a particular country or area: the Japanese language | How many languages do you speak? | native language (=the first language you learned): Andrea's native language is German. | modern language (=a language that is still spoken today) | dead language (=a language that is no longer spoken) | the language barrier (=the difficulty of communicating with people who speak a different language)
2 COMMUNICATION (U) the ability to use words to communicate: the origins of language
3 COMPUTERS (C, U) technical a system of instructions and commands for operating a computer: a programming language such as BASIC or Pascal
4 STYLE/TYPE OF WORDS (U) the kind of words and style used in one kind of writing or by people in a particular job or activity: medical language | poetic language
5 SOUNDS/SIGNS/ACTIONS (U) a way of expressing meaning or giving information through sounds, signs, movements etc: the language of music
6 SWEARING (U) informal words that most people think are offensive: You never heard such language! It was disgusting. | mind/watch your language (=stop swearing)
7 strong language
a) angry words used to tell people exactly what you mean
b) words that most people think are offensive; swearing
8 speak the same language if two people speak the same language, they have similar attitudes and opinions
-see also: body language, sign language

Longman dictionary of contemporary English. 2004.

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