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The Latin verb haerēre has shown remarkable stick-to-itiveness in influencing the English lexicon, which is fitting for a word that means "to be closely attached; to stick." Among its descendants are adhere (literally meaning "to stick"), adhere’s relative adhesive (a word for sticky substances), inhere (meaning "to belong by nature or habit"), and even hesitate (which implies remaining stuck in place before taking action). In Latin, haerēre teamed up with the prefix co- to form cohaerēre, which means "to stick together." Cohaerēre is the ancestor of cohesive, a word borrowed into English in the early 18th century to describe something that sticks together literally (such as dough or mud) or figuratively (such as a society or sports team).
Examples of cohesive in a Sentence
The Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 25 Apr. 2026 This one has paisley, floral, and damask patterns joining together in a complementary color palette to create an eclectic but cohesive look, while the reverse side is pink with a scrollwork pattern. —Shea Simmons, Southern Living, 24 Apr. 2026 The same wood tone is used on the planters and wood fencing for a cohesive look. —Kristin Hohenadel, The Spruce, 24 Apr. 2026 Iran has insisted that the United States must end its blockade of Iranian ports before talks can resume, and many analysts say the leadership is more cohesive than is being portrayed. —Mostafa Salem, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for cohesive
Cite this Entry
“Cohesive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.grautoblog.com/dictionary/cohesive. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
cohesive
adjective
