connective

American  

[kuh-nek-tiv] / kəˈnɛk tɪv /

adjective

1. serving or tending to connect.

   connective remarks between chapters.

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noun

1. something that connects.

2. Grammar. a word used to connect words, phrases, clauses, and sentences, as a conjunction.

3. Botany. the tissue joining the two cells of the anther.

connective British  

/ ˌkɒnɛkˈtɪvɪtɪ, kəˈnɛktɪv /

adjective

1. serving to connect or capable of connecting

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noun

1. a thing that connects

2. grammar logic

   1. a less common word for conjunction

   2. any word that connects phrases, clauses, or individual words

   3. a symbol used in a formal language in the construction of compound sentences from simpler sentences, corresponding to terms such as or, and, not, etc, in ordinary speech

3. botany the tissue of a stamen that connects the two lobes of the anther

4. anatomy a nerve-fibre bundle connecting two nerve centres

Other Word Forms

• connectively adverb
• connectivity noun
• nonconnective adjective
• nonconnectively adverb
• nonconnectivity noun
• preconnective adjective
• quasi-connective adjective
• quasi-connectively adverb

Etymology

Origin of connective

First recorded in 1645–55; connect + -ive

Example Sentences

The most effective programs integrate economic reasoning as the connective tissue that makes financial concepts coherent and transferable.

From The Wall Street Journal

“I don’t think people can appreciate how she is very much the connective tissue to a lot of what we are seeing that has taken place,” Chukwu said.

From Salon

Hamilton points to research on female athletes that found higher rates of ligament injuries at certain points in the cycle, likely linked to progesterone and estrogen’s effects on connective tissue.

From Los Angeles Times

It supports and strengthens skin, nails, bones and connective tissues, including tendons and cartilage.

From BBC

Once immune cells arrive, they interact with fibroblasts, which are connective tissue cells that normally help maintain balance and protect the joint.

From Science Daily