adhesion

[ ad-hee-zhuhn ]

/ ædˈhi ʒən /

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See synonyms for adhesion on Thesaurus.com

noun

the act or state of adhering; state of being adhered or united: the adhesion of parts united by growth.

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

assent; concurrence.

Physics. the molecular force of attraction in the area of contact between unlike bodies that acts to hold them together.Compare cohesion (def. 2).

Pathology.

the abnormal union of adjacent tissues.
the tissue involved.

Botany. the union of normally separate parts.

Railroads.

the frictional resistance of rails to the tendency of driving wheels to slip.
factor of adhesion.

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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

OTHER WORDS FROM adhesion

ad·he·sion·al, adjectivenon·ad·he·sion, noun

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH adhesion

adherence, adherents, adhesion

Words nearby adhesion

adhere, adherence, adherend, adherent, adhering, adhesion, adhesive, adhesive bandage, adhesive binding, adhesive plaster, adhesive tape

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use adhesion in a sentence

Animals that use dry adhesion can stick and unstick to surfaces easily.
A spider’s feet hold a hairy, sticky secret|Stephen Ornes|October 11, 2021|Science News For Students
They can usually be brushed or vacuumed to restore adhesion.
The best random orbital sanders for all your smoothing projects|Bob Beacham|October 7, 2021|Popular-Science
People with Duchenne muscular dystrophy have a mutation in that protein that prevents proper adhesion, which means their muscles may contract just fine, they just can’t exert much of a force on the tendons.
Everything you’ve ever wanted to know about muscles|Claire Maldarelli and Sara Chodosh|October 3, 2021|Popular-Science
While that combo seems like it would result in better screen adhesion than most smartphones, the methodology actually didn't fare well on the Pixel 5, as users complained about uneven panel gaps.
Pixel 5a teardown shows a surprising amount of metal|Ron Amadeo|August 27, 2021|Ars Technica

“You can control the adhesion,” notes Han, who wasn’t involved in the study.
New glue offers to turn any small walking robot into Spider-Man|Shi En Kim|August 18, 2021|Science News For Students
Mr. Asquith evidently has given in his adhesion to the new system of "colour adjectives."
Punch, or the London Charivari, Volume 107, November 3, 1894|Various
With the Restoration the Marshal at once accepted the change of government and gave his adhesion to the Bourbons.
Napoleon's Marshals|R. P. Dunn-Pattison
The adhesion to the clearing circulation is at once requested by the Post Office, of adherents to the cheque service.
Social Comptabilism, Cheque and Clearing Service & Proposed Law|Ernest Solvay
When you want to use it, mix the Roe with a little wheaten flour and gum water, to cause adhesion to the hook.
The Teesdale Angler|R Lakeland
The distant colonies of the crown of Castile, in America and the Indies, sent in their adhesion.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Vol 58, No. 357, July 1845|Various

British Dictionary definitions for adhesion

adhesion

/ (ədˈhiːʒən) /

noun

the quality or condition of sticking together or holding fast

ability to make firm contact without skidding or slipping

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

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

pathol abnormal union of structures or parts

Word Origin for adhesion

C17: from Latin adhaesiōn- a sticking. See adhere

usage for adhesion

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

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for adhesion

adhesion

[ ăd-hē′zhən ]

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

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.

Cultural definitions for adhesion

adhesion

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

adhesion

Origin of adhesion

OTHER WORDS FROM adhesion

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH adhesion

Words nearby adhesion

Words related to adhesion

How to use adhesion in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for adhesion

Word Origin for adhesion

usage for adhesion

Scientific definitions for adhesion

Cultural definitions for adhesion