nexus

American  

[nek-suhs] / ˈnɛk səs /

noun

• nexuses,
  plural
• nexus
  plural

1. a means of connection; tie; link.

2. a connected series or group.

3. the core or center, as of a matter or situation.

4. Cell Biology. a specialized area of the cell membrane involved in intercellular communication and adhesion.

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nexus British  

/ ˈnɛksəs /

noun

1. a means of connection between members of a group or things in a series; link; bond

2. a connected group or series

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• nexus
  plural
• nexuses
  plural

Etymology

Origin of nexus

First recorded in 1655–65; from Latin nexus “a binding, joining, fastening,” noun use of past participle of nectere “to bind, join, tie”

Explanation

A nexus is a central link or connection. If you happen to be at the nexus of something, you are right in the middle of it, like standing in the middle of an intersection. Nexus entered English during the 17th century from the Latin word nectere, meaning "to bind or tie." People tend to use this word to describe the point where different things or ideas come together or intersect. In the field of cell biology, a nexus refers to a specialized area of the cell membrane that facilitates communication and adhesion between adjacent cells. By allowing ions and molecules to pass through, these nexuses ensure that tissues can function as a coordinated unit.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

nexus nexuses

He’s been jamming with The Internet again, his collective with childhood friends Syd and Matt Martians, who emerged from the Odd Future nexus to become a pacesetting act for young R&B and hip-hop fans.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026

That’s when the U.S. will begin eating into its “working gas storage, which is the nexus of supply and demand in the country,” with higher electricity prices to follow into 2030.

From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026

These ventures have cemented investor belief that SpaceX resides at the nexus of key AI developments.

From Barron's ● Jun. 16, 2026

That puts McLeod at the heart of The Fellowship’s Michigan nexus.

From Salon ● Jun. 9, 2026

While functional, the problem with this theory is that it often places you personally and physically at the very nexus of destruction.

From This Side of Wild by Gary Paulsen

These regulations should apply broadly, especially to companies with key nexuses in the supply chain like the “hyperscalers” that dominate the cloud computing sector, water and energy infrastructure, and key cybersecurity services providers.

From Barron's ● Nov. 13, 2025

Libraries are the nexuses of democratized access to culture, community expertise, diverse perspectives on history and the instruments that further that knowledge.

From Salon ● Mar. 30, 2025

But most of the remaining nexuses, you said, have dropped off.

From New York Times ● Dec. 1, 2022

His loved ones and others who were close to him, like disease-trackers and the bereaved worldwide, are left to ponder and agonize, plumbing memories, retracing steps, searching for nexuses.

From Washington Post ● Apr. 3, 2020

Grooming isn’t the only thing on the menu at these communal nexuses where problems, political and personal, are raised before a chorus of voices.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2018