Adhesion

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /ˌædˈhiː.ʒən/

Definitions

1. The act of sticking firmly to a surface or the state of being attached or joined together
2. The process by which substances cling to one another or the condition resulting from being closely bonded together
3. A phenomenon where materials create a surface bond or the resultant state of being united

Etymology: Adhesion comes from the Latin verb "adhaerare," meaning "to stick to," built from "ad" ("to") and "haerare" ("to stick"). Its Latin noun "adhaesio" passed into French as "adhésion," and English took the word from French. The English form keeps the Latin spelling "adhaesio" as its ancestor, but the surface shape came through French, which is why the word looks more French than Latin to many readers. The sense has stayed remarkably literal. Where many Latin-derived words drifted into abstract territory, "adhesion" has kept its physical core: one surface clinging to another. Modern uses extend this into science, where it describes molecules of different substances attracting one another, the force that lets glue hold wood together or water climb a glass wall.

Synonyms: attachment, bonding, stickiness, cohesion, joining

Antonyms: detachment, separation, disjunction, divergence, disconnection