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

“It really is this incredible ecosystem and city that’s been built up over the last several years, and it’s become an important nexus for space, military and funding.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 10, 2026

“I think my taste in general lives at the nexus of a highbrow, lowbrow intersection,” Meyer says.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026

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

From Barron's ● Jun. 16, 2026

The nexus between energy security and national security has become ever more entwined.

From Salon ● May 21, 2026

The exciting synergy of institutional life in an all-purpose national metropolis was deemed less important than the dangerous corruptions likely to afflict a nexus of politicians and financiers.

From "Founding Brothers: The Revolutionary Generation" by Joseph J. Ellis

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