agglutination

noun

ag·​glu·​ti·​na·​tion ə-ˌglü-tə-ˈnā-shən 

1

: the action or process of agglutinating

2

: a mass or group formed by the union of separate elements

3

: the formation of derivational or inflectional words by putting together constituents of which each expresses a single definite meaning

4

: a reaction in which particles (such as red blood cells or bacteria) suspended in a liquid collect into clumps and which occurs especially as a serologic response to a specific antibody

Examples of agglutination in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

If the patient is already infected with Proteus, then the same agglutination will occur when the Weil-Felix test is administered, and the patient will naturally test positive. —Rebecca Kreston, Discover Magazine, 31 May 2016

Some of these agglutinations have a satisfying outlandishness about them: That smooching pair, for example, are wearing huge masks from the Bamana people of West Africa on their heads. —Jason Farago, New York Times, 13 Apr. 2017

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from Late Latin agglūtinātiōn-, agglūtinātiō, from Latin agglūtināre "to agglutinate entry 1" + -tiōn-, tiō, suffix of action nouns

First Known Use

1541, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

agglutination

noun

ag·​glu·​ti·​na·​tion ə-ˌglüt-ᵊn-ˈā-shən 

1

: the action or process of agglutinating

2

: a mass or group formed by the union of separate elements

3

: a reaction in which particles (as red blood cells or bacteria) suspended in a liquid collect into clumps usually as a response to a specific antibody

agglutinative

-ˈglüt-ᵊn-ˌāt-iv

-ət-

adjective

Medical Definition

agglutination

noun

ag·​glu·​ti·​na·​tion ə-ˌglüt-ᵊn-ˈā-shən 

: a reaction in which particles (as red blood cells or bacteria) suspended in a liquid collect into clumps and which occurs especially as a serological response to a specific antibody