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connection

[kuh-nek-shuhn]
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noun
  1. the act or state of connecting.
  2. the state of being connected: the connection between cause and effect.
  3. anything that connects; a connecting part; link; bond: an electrical connection.
  4. association; relationship: the connection between crime and poverty; no connection with any other firm of the same name.
  5. a circle of friends or associates or a member of such a circle.
  6. association with or development of something observed, imagined, discussed, etc.: to make a connection between the smell of smoke and the presence of fire; I have a few thoughts in connection with your last remarks.
  7. contextual relation; context, as of a word.
  8. the meeting of trains, planes, etc., for transfer of passengers: There are good connections between buses in Chicago.
  9. Often connections. a transfer by a passenger from one conveyance to another: to miss connections.
  10. a specific vehicle, airplane, ship, etc., boarded in making connections: My connection for Hartford is the 10:58.
  11. a relative, especially by marriage or distant blood relationship.
  12. Slang. a person who sells drugs directly to addicts.
  13. a source of supply for goods, material, etc., that is scarce, difficult, or illegal to obtain: a connection to obtain guns and ammunition for the rebels.
  14. a group of persons who are connected, as by political or religious ties.
  15. Usually connections. associates, relations, acquaintances, or friends, especially representing or having some influence or power: European connections; good connections in Congress.
  16. a religious denomination: the Methodist connection.
  17. a channel of communication: a bad telephone connection.
  18. sexual intercourse.
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Also British, con·nex·ion.

Origin of connection

1350–1400; variant spelling of connexion; Middle English conneccioun, connexioun (< Middle French) < Latin connexiōn- (stem of connexiō), equivalent to connex(us) (past participle of connectere to connect) + -iōn- -ion
Related formscon·nec·tion·al, adjectivemis·con·nec·tion, nounpre·con·nec·tion, nounre·con·nec·tion, noun

Synonyms

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1. junction, conjunction, union. 3. tie, coupling, yoke. 5. affiliation, alliance. 11. relation.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Related Words

contactrelationnetworkhookupaffiliationlinkattachmenttieconjunctionlinkagerelationshipcommunicationpartnershipapplicationcorrelationacquaintanceassociatementorkindredkin

Examples from the Web for connection

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Historical Examples

British Dictionary definitions for connection

connection

connexion

noun
  1. the act or state of connecting; union
  2. something that connects, joins, or relates; link or bond
  3. a relationship or association
  4. logical sequence in thought or expression; coherence
  5. the relation of a word or phrase to its contextin this connection the word has no political significance
  6. (often plural) an acquaintance, esp one who is influential or has prestige
  7. a relative, esp if distant and related by marriage
    1. an opportunity to transfer from one train, bus, aircraft, ship, etc, to another
    2. the vehicle, aircraft, etc, scheduled to provide such an opportunity
  9. (plural) NZ the persons owning or controlling a racehorse
  10. a link, usually a wire or metallic strip, between two components in an electric circuit or system
  11. a communications link between two points, esp by telephone
  12. slang a supplier of illegal drugs, such as heroin
  13. rare sexual intercourse
  14. rare a small sect or religious group united by a body of distinct beliefs or practices
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Derived Formsconnectional or connexional, adjective
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 connection

n.

late 14c., conneccion, later connexioun (mid-15c.), from Old French connexion, from Latin connexionem (nominative connexio) "a binding or joining together," from *connexare, frequentative of conectere "to fasten together, to tie, join together," from com- "together" (see com-) + nectere "to bind, tie" (see nexus).

Spelling shifted from connexion to connection (especially in American English) mid-18c. under influence of connect, abetted by affection, direction, etc.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
connection in Medicine

connection

(kə-nĕk′shən)
n.
  1. The act of connecting or the state of being connected.
  2. Something that connects.
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The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.