coherent

[ koh-heer-uh nt, -her- ]

/ koʊˈhɪər ənt, -ˈhɛr- /

adjective

logically connected; consistent: a coherent argument.

having a natural or due agreement of parts; harmonious: a coherent design.

cohering; sticking together: a coherent mass of sticky candies.

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.See also laser.

Nearby words

cohen, morris raphael, cohenite, cohere, coherence, coherence theory, coherent, coherent control, coherent light, coherently, coherer, cohesion

Origin of coherent

1570–80; < Medieval Latin cohērent-, variant of Latin cohaerent- (stem of cohaerēns), present participle of cohaerēre. See cohere, -ent

Related formsco·her·ent·ly, adverbnon·co·her·ent, adjectivenon·co·her·ent·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for coherently

Mr. Sheen clearly and coherently denied those allegations in his interview with the Today show Wednesday morning.
Who Is Brooke Mueller?|Tricia Romano|March 6, 2011|DAILY BEAST
Thus the whole series of visual events which compose our experiment with the tuning-fork can be coherently explained.
The Mind and the Brain|Alfred Binet
Mimo had not coherently given the address, on the telephone.
The Reason Why|Elinor Glyn
She considered an instant, all coherently, and it might have added to Mr. Longdon's impression of her depth.
The Awkward Age|Henry James

It all happened so suddenly that even Plume, who witnessed the entire incident, could not coherently explain it.
An Apache Princess|Charles King
She could not think as yet coherently or connectedly; wherever she turned her thoughts, a flame flashed in her eyes.
The Relentless City|Edward Frederic Benson

British Dictionary definitions for coherently

coherent

/ (kəʊˈhɪərənt) /

adjective

capable of logical and consistent speech, thought, etc

logical; consistent and orderly

cohering or sticking together

physics (of two or more waves) having the same phase or a fixed phase differencecoherent light

(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

Derived Formscoherently, adverb

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

Word Origin and History for coherently

coherent

adj.

1550s, from Middle French cohérent (16c.), from Latin cohaerentem (nominative cohaerens), present participle of cohaerere "cohere," from com- "together" (see co-) + haerere "to stick" (see hesitation).