a connecting point at which several lines come together
"The architect pointed out how every major railway line converges at the central node of the city's transit map."
any thickened enlargement
"The surgeon carefully removed the painful node that had swollen to twice its normal size at the base of her neck."
(physics) the point of minimum displacement in a periodic system
"In a vibrating guitar string, you can feel the node where the wood remains completely still while the rest of the string oscillates."
(astronomy) a point where an orbit crosses a plane
"The satellite's trajectory was carefully calculated to intersect Earth's equatorial node at midnight for optimal signal coverage."
the source of lymph and lymphocytes
"The doctor explained that the swollen node was acting as a temporary reservoir, filtering bacteria before releasing healthy lymphocytes into the bloodstream."
any bulge or swelling of an anatomical structure or part
"The doctor noticed a painful node forming at the base of his neck after he caught a cold."
A knot, knob, protuberance or swelling.
"The surgeon carefully removed a painful node from his neck that had swollen due to infection."
In plain English: A node is a single point where lines connect in a network or diagram.
"Each node in the computer network failed at the same time during the storm."
Usage: In everyday contexts, a node is a small lump or swelling on the surface of something, such as a blemish on skin or a knot in wood. Use this word to describe any physical protrusion rather than its technical meaning in computing or botany.
Acronym of New Oxford Dictionary of English.
"The acronym NODe stands for New Oxford Dictionary of English, as noted in several linguistic references."
The word node comes from the Latin nōdus, which meant a knot or swelling. It entered English through Middle English as a doublet related to words like "knot."