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The Latin verb haerēre has shown remarkable stick-to-itiveness in influencing the English lexicon, which is fitting for a word that means "to be closely attached; to stick." Among its descendants are adhere (literally meaning "to stick"), adhere’s relative adhesive (a word for sticky substances), inhere (meaning "to belong by nature or habit"), and even hesitate (which implies remaining stuck in place before taking action). In Latin, haerēre teamed up with the prefix co- to form cohaerēre, which means "to stick together." Cohaerēre is the ancestor of cohesive, a word borrowed into English in the early 18th century to describe something that sticks together literally (such as dough or mud) or figuratively (such as a society or sports team).
Examples of cohesive in a Sentence
Shelby Wax, Vogue, 29 Nov. 2025
Fixmatti 2-Piece Knit Sweater Outfit Looking for something that feels as nice as your favorite pajamas with the style of a cohesive outfit?
—Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 29 Nov. 2025
Last year, for instance, the company reset its $2 billion, 30-year-old No Boundaries, going toe-to-toe with Abercrombie and other teen retailers with a much more cohesive brand presentation and positioning.
—Evan Clark, Footwear News, 25 Nov. 2025
The company is also creating synergies across its product segments, creating cohesive packages of linings, waistbands and pocketing.
—Sj Studio, Sourcing Journal, 24 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for cohesive
Cite this Entry
“Cohesive.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cohesive. Accessed 3 Dec. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
cohesive
adjective
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