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
Their tribe is a small but cohesive group.
Religion can be used as a cohesive social force.
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Fabric combines several components into a cohesive platform.—Robert Kramer, Forbes, 12 Dec. 2024 These light tones also provide a cohesive backdrop for other Scandinavian design hallmarks, such as wood textures, cozy textiles, and indoor plants.—Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 12 Dec. 2024 This is the most important part of creating a cohesive look, Fero says.—Cori Sears, Better Homes & Gardens, 11 Dec. 2024 These systems assist entire teams, from designers and front-end developers to marketers and content writers, instructing them on how to create a cohesive experience for the user and ensure visual consistency.—William Mullane, USA TODAY, 10 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for cohesive
Word History
Etymology
Latin cohaesus, past participle of cohaerēre "to stick together, cohere" + -ive
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