adhesive
- coated with glue, paste, mastic, or other sticky substance: adhesive bandages.
- sticking fast; sticky; clinging.
- Physics. of or relating to the molecular force that exists in the area of contact between unlike bodies and that acts to unite them.
- a substance that causes something to adhere, as glue or rubber cement.
- adhesive tape.
- Philately. a postage stamp with a gummed back, as distinguished from one embossed or printed on an envelope or card.
Origin of adhesive
Related Words for adhesive
gummy, sticky, pasty, adherent, holding, clinging, gelatinous, gooey, tenacious, viscous, waxy, glutinous, mucilaginous, viscid, adhering, agglutinant, attaching, clingy, gummed, resinousExamples from the Web for adhesive
Contemporary Examples of adhesive
Then, the merkin is applied with an adhesive; Ledermann uses a matte substance by Telesis.
Have you ever seen 11 players with a relationship so adhesive to the ball?
Historical Examples of adhesive
This was an adhesive, and used some years after stamps were in use.
The Stamps of CanadaBertram Poole
I was informed that Decaisne has written a paper on these adhesive threads.
More Letters of Charles Darwin Volume IICharles Darwin
Utilised because of adhesive qualities for throwing at a target as darts.
Norman Ten HundredA. Stanley Blicq
Adhesive is the scientific, sticking or sticky the popular word.
English Synonyms and AntonymsJames Champlin Fernald
An adhesive plaster is in popular language a sticking-plaster.
English Synonyms and AntonymsJames Champlin Fernald
adhesive
- able or designed to adhere; stickyadhesive tape
- tenacious or clinging
- a substance used for sticking objects together, such as glue, cement, or paste
Word Origin and History for adhesive
1660s, from French adhésif, formed in French from Latin adhaes-, past participle stem of adhaere (see adherent).
1881, from adhesive (adj.). Originally of postage stamps (adhesive stamp is attested from 1840). Of substances that cause to adhere by 1900.
adhesive
(ăd-hē′sĭv)- Tending to adhere; sticky.
- Of, relating to, or having the characteristics of an adhesion.
- A substance that adheres to a surface or causes adherence between surfaces.
adhesive
- A substance, such as paste or cement, that causes two surfaces to stick together. Adhesives are made of gelatin or other substances, such as epoxy, resin, or polyethylene.
- Relating to adhesion.