adhesion

American  

[ad-hee-zhuhn] / ædˈhi ʒən /

noun

1. the act or state of adhering; state of being adhered or united.

   the adhesion of parts united by growth.

2. steady or devoted attachment, support, etc.; adherence.

3. assent; concurrence.

4. Physics. the molecular force of attraction in the area of contact between unlike bodies that acts to hold them together.

5. Pathology.

   1. the abnormal union of adjacent tissues.

   2. the tissue involved.

6. Botany. the union of normally separate parts.

7. Railroads.

   1. the frictional resistance of rails to the tendency of driving wheels to slip.

   2. factor of adhesion.

---

adhesion British  

/ ədˈhiːʒən /

noun

1. the quality or condition of sticking together or holding fast

2. ability to make firm contact without skidding or slipping

3. attachment or fidelity, as to a political party, cause, etc

4. an attraction or repulsion between the molecules of unlike substances in contact: distinguished from cohesion

5. pathol abnormal union of structures or parts

---

adhesion Scientific  

/ ăd-hē′zhən /

1. The force of attraction that causes two different substances to join. Adhesion causes water to spread out over glass.

2. Compare cohesion

3. A fibrous band of abnormal tissue that binds together tissues that are normally separate. Adhesions form during the healing of some wounds, usually as a result of inflammation.

---

adhesion Cultural  

1. The molecular (see molecule) attraction that holds the surfaces of two dissimilar substances together. (Compare cohesion.)

---

Usage

Adhesion is the preferred term when talking about sticking or holding fast in a physical sense. Adherence is preferred when talking about attachment to a political party, cause, etc

Other Word Forms

• adhesional adjective
• nonadhesion noun

Etymology

Origin of adhesion

1615–25; < Medieval Latin adhēsiōn- for Latin adhaesiōn- (stem of adhaesiō ) a clinging, equivalent to adhaes ( us ), past participle of adhaerēre to adhere + -iōn- -ion

Example Sentences

The researchers also detected increased levels of adhesion molecules in heart blood vessels.

From Science Daily

She’s had clients come after jaw surgery who get treatments twice a week for months, others dealing with bad filler or Botox who needed intensive work to break down adhesions.

From Los Angeles Times

Over time, Tcf4 and its targets activate to strengthen cell adhesion and structural support.

From Science Daily

His ability to balance on the edge of adhesion in the braking-entry phase at a higher speed than almost anyone else made him stand out.

From BBC

"Catch bonds play critical roles in systems like T-cell receptors and bacterial adhesions, which are key to immune responses, tissue integrity and mechano-sensing -- a cell's ability to detect and respond to physical forces," says Yang.

From Science Daily