coherent

American  

[koh-heer-uhnt, -her-] / koʊˈhɪər ənt, -ˈhɛr- /

adjective

1. logically connected; consistent.

   a coherent argument.

2. having a natural or due agreement of parts; harmonious.

   a coherent design.

3. cohering; sticking together.

   a coherent mass of sticky candies.

4. Physics, Optics. of or relating to waves that maintain a fixed phase relationship, as in coherent light, or light in which the electromagnetic waves maintain a fixed and predictable phase relationship with each other over a period of time.

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coherent British  

/ kəʊˈhɪərənt /

adjective

1. capable of logical and consistent speech, thought, etc

2. logical; consistent and orderly

3. cohering or sticking together

4. physics (of two or more waves) having the same phase or a fixed phase difference

   coherent light

5. (of a system of units) consisting only of units the quotient or product of any two of which yield the unit of the resultant quantity

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Other Word Forms

• coherently
  adverb
• noncoherent
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of coherent

First recorded in 1570–80; from Medieval Latin cohērent-, variant of Latin cohaerent- (stem of cohaerēns ), present participle of cohaerēre; see cohere, -ent

Explanation

Something coherent is logical and clear. "I told you if you didn't do your homework you couldn't watch TV. You didn't do your homework so you can't watch TV." This is a coherent argument (and annoying as well). The thing about such coherent arguments, as your Mom well knows, is that they are also easily and clearly understood. If someone speaks coherently, they are speaking clearly and lucidly. A slight variation on the meaning comes in the sense of something that is united clearly as a whole and a recognizable entity. You might say, for example, that New York City is a "culturally coherent region" within the United States.

Example Sentences

Coherent shares rose 3.5%, Ciena jumped 6.1%, and MaxLinear was up 1.1%.

From Barron's • May 6, 2026

In Chatterjee’s view, Coherent “is uniquely positioned to capture its fair share of this expansion” in both CPO and optical circuit switching.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 11, 2026

Coherent, meanwhile, climbed 8.8% to $309.09, also on pace to close at a record.

From Barron's • Apr. 10, 2026

JPMorgan analysts also raised their price targets for Lumentum and Coherent, both of which are backed by Nvidia.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026

Coherent memory resumes with the noise the warriors made in returning to the camp.

From A Virginia Scout by Hutchison, D. C.

Related Words

• comprehensible
• consistent
• intelligible
• logical
• lucid
• meaningful
• orderly
• rational
• reasoned
• systematic