connection

American  

[kuh-nek-shuhn] / kəˈnɛk ʃən /

British, connexion

noun

1. the act or state of connecting.

   Synonyms:

   union, conjunction, junction

2. the state of being connected.

   the connection between cause and effect.

3. anything that connects; a connecting part; link; bond.

   an electrical connection.

   Synonyms:

   yoke, coupling, tie

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.

   Synonyms:

   alliance, affiliation

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.

    Synonyms:

    relation

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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connection British  

/ kəˈnɛkʃən /

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 context

   in 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

8. 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) 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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Other Word Forms

• connectional adjective
• misconnection noun
• preconnection noun
• reconnection noun

Etymology

Origin of connection

First recorded in 1350–1400; variant spelling of connexion; Middle English conneccioun, connexioun, from Middle French, from Latin connexiōn-, stem of connexiō, equivalent to connex(us), past participle of connectere “to connect ” + -iō -ion

Explanation

The word connection is good for talking about the way things relate to each other. Your special connection to your cousin might have something to do with your mutual love for science fiction and barbecue. A connection can be physical, like the leash that provides the connection between you and your German shepherd, or emotional, like the connection you feel with your best friend. Any kind of direct relation is a connection as well, such as the connection a detective makes between a footprint at a crime scene and a suspect's favorite pair of shoes. The root is the Latin connexionem, "a binding or joining together."

Example Sentences

Some studies have suggested that loneliness speeds up cognitive decline, while others have not found a clear connection.

From Science Daily • Apr. 14, 2026

The White House answered questions sent to Bresso about her connection to Mitchell’s network by reiterating its commitment to making American elections secure.

From Salon • Apr. 14, 2026

Seven people have been arrested in connection with a deadly stampede at a popular tourist destination in Haiti, the country's national police force says.

From BBC • Apr. 14, 2026

My team that I supported was Manchester United—they have the Scandinavian connection.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 13, 2026

“Yeah, but it’s our fault he’s hungry. Not me and you specifically, but everybody’s. It’s humanity’s fault,” Owen said, really seeing the connection for the first time.

From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz

Related Words

• affiliation
• attachment
• conjunction
• hookup
• link
• linkage
• network
• tie