agglutinate

[ verb uh-gloot-n-eyt; adjective uh-gloot-n-it, -eyt ]

verb (used with or without object)

, ag·glu·ti·nat·ed, ag·glu·ti·nat·ing.

1. to unite or cause to adhere, as with glue.
2. Immunology. to clump or cause to clump, as bacteria or blood platelets.
3. Linguistics. to form by agglutination.

adjective

1. united by or as by glue.
2. agglutinative.

agglutinate

verb

1. to adhere or cause to adhere, as with glue
2. linguistics to combine or be combined by agglutination
3. tr to cause (bacteria, red blood cells, etc) to clump together

adjective

1. united or stuck, as by glue

Derived Forms

• agˈglutinant, adjective
• agˈglutinable, adjective
• agˌglutinaˈbility, noun

Other Words From

• ag·glu·tin·a·bil·i·ty [uh, -gloot-n-, uh, -, bil, -i-tee], noun
• ag·glutin·a·ble adjective
• inter·ag·gluti·nate verb (used without object) interagglutinated interagglutinating
• nonag·gluti·nating adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of agglutinate¹

1535–45; < Latin agglūtinātus (past participle of agglūtināre ), equivalent to ag- ag- + glūtin- (stem of glūten glue) + -ātus -ate ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of agglutinate¹

C16: from Latin agglūtināre to glue to, from gluten glue

Example Sentences

Ms. Humphries is best known for shimmering, burbling abstract paintings that agglutinate stenciled marks, typographical stutters, and deceptive spills and splashes that in fact result from careful composition.

From New York Times

It urges those who work in it to agglutinate and machinate.

From Economist

But I understand how frightening those ideas are to others whose worldviews have been warped and terrified by Guy Fieri's "Mondo Pita-Partied Hemorhhagic Meated Wads with Volcano Adobo Mayo and You-Don't-Know-Chedder-Jack™ Agglutinate".

From The Guardian

The European Cup is the great promise, the hope, the agglutinate, the objective into which all else is subsumed.

From The Guardian

To beginners, the choices are befuddling: "Five-ply with single fibreglass-carbon core brings outstanding two-side loop spinning capacity, consistent control and attacking ability," promises the blurb for one racket; "Unique agglutinate technique means sufficient power and excellent performance in long table," vows another.

From The Guardian

Related Words

• blend
• coalesce
• combine
• dissolve
• integrate
• melt
• merge
• mingle
• weld