Commissure

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. The place where two parts join, such as the corner where the lips or eyelids meet ; a seam or fibrous band linking the two halves of an organ like the brain
2. The junction line where two anatomical structures come together, as at the corners of the mouth ; a connecting seam or bundle of fibers joining paired parts of the brain
3. A point or line of joining between two bodily parts, like the edges of the lips or lids ; a fibrous connecting band that links the two hemispheres of the brain

Etymology: "Commissure" comes from Latin "commissura," meaning "a joining or connecting together." The Latin noun is built from "commissus," the past participle of "committere" (to join, to connect), combined with the suffix "-ura," which forms nouns denoting a result or state. So the word's core idea is simply a place where two things have been fitted together. That original sense of joining is still visible in how the word is used today. In anatomy, a commissure is a point where structures meet, such as the junction of the lips at the corners of the mouth, or the band of nerve fibres crossing between the two halves of the brain. The word has stayed close to its literal meaning, which is why it sounds technical but is transparent once you see the parts.

Synonyms: junction, seam, joint