coupling

American  

[kuhp-ling] / ˈkʌp lɪŋ /

noun

1. the act of a person or thing that couples.

2. Machinery.

   1. a device for joining two rotating shafts semipermanently at their ends so as to transmit torque from one to the other.

   2. a part with an inside thread for connecting two pipes of the same diameter.

   3. a fitting at the end of a length of hose into which the end of another such length can be screwed or fitted.

3. Railroads. coupler.

4. Electricity.

   1. the association of two circuits or systems in such a way that power may be transferred from one to the other.

   2. a device or expedient to ensure this.

5. a short length of plumbing pipe having each end threaded on the inside.

6. the part of the body between the tops of the shoulder blades and the tops of the hip joints in a dog, horse, etc.

7. linkage.

---

coupling British  

/ ˈkʌplɪŋ /

noun

1. a mechanical device that connects two things

2. a device for connecting railway cars or trucks together

3. the part of the body of a horse, dog, or other quadruped that lies between the forequarters and the hindquarters

4. electronics the act or process of linking two or more circuits so that power can be transferred between them usually by mutual induction, as in a transformer, or by means of a capacitor or inductor common to both circuits See also direct coupling

5. physics an interaction between different properties of a system, such as a group of atoms or nuclei, or between two or more systems

6. genetics the occurrence of two specified nonallelic genes from the same parent on the same chromosome

---

Etymology

Origin of coupling

Middle English word dating back to 1300–50; couple, -ing ¹

Example Sentences

During meaningful conversations, there is an associated syncing, or coupling, of neural patterns or brain waves.

From The Wall Street Journal

The Kondo coupling creates an effective magnetic interaction between spin-1 moments, which stabilizes long range magnetic order across the material.

From Science Daily

In a report Monday he said the potential coupling now sits in “deal purgatory.”

From Barron's

Thanks to its flexible fabrication process, the technology can potentially be combined with direct fiber coupling and existing photonic components.

From Science Daily

From this perspective, the tight coupling across levels is not accidental complexity.

From Science Daily

Related Words

• intercourse
• pairing