coherent

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

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.

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

Contemporary Examples of 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

Historical Examples of coherently

But when he did find spoken words for it, they came to him coherently, though slowly.
A Tale of Two Cities
Charles Dickens
He delivered his master's message as coherently as he could.
The Purcell Papers
Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu
So far, it was evidently written at one sitting, calmly and coherently.
The Slipper Point Mystery
Augusta Huiell Seaman
At first she was hardly able to speak, or even to think, coherently.
The Lady of the Shroud
Bram Stoker
It was a necessity of his nature to think clearly and coherently.
Twentieth Century Socialism
Edmond Kelly

British Dictionary definitions for coherently

coherent

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).