connective tissue

American  

noun

Anatomy.

1. a tissue, usually of mesoblastic origin, that connects, supports, or surrounds other tissues, organs, etc.

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connective tissue British  

noun

1. an animal tissue developed from the embryonic mesoderm that consists of collagen or elastic fibres, fibroblasts, fatty cells, etc, within a jelly-like matrix. It supports organs, fills the spaces between them, and forms tendons and ligaments

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connective tissue Scientific  

/ kə-nĕk′tĭv /

1. Tissue that connects, supports, binds, or encloses the structures of the body. Connective tissues are made up of cells embedded in an extracellular matrix and include bones, cartilage, mucous membranes, fat, and blood.

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connective tissue Cultural  

1. Body tissue that serves to connect or support other tissues or parts. Cartilage, tendons, and bone are all kinds of connective tissue.

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Etymology

Origin of connective tissue

First recorded in 1880–85

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

connective tissue

Pancreatic tumors are often wrapped in dense connective tissue rich in fibroblasts.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 4, 2026

Kate has Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, which affects connective tissue and was admitted to Hull Royal Infirmary with a suspected intestinal failure.

From BBC ● Sep. 2, 2026

The life I pictured appeared in View-Master slides, each image crisp and complete, with all the inconvenient connective tissue outsourced.

From Salon ● Aug. 4, 2026

Some songs embed themselves so deeply in our lives that they become part of our emotional fabric, pieces of inextricable connective tissue that lift us up or mark milestones through a lyric or a melody.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 19, 2026

They are mobile cells, circulating through a dense connective tissue of other ants in a matrix of twigs.

From "The Lives of a Cell" by Lewis Thomas

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