adhesion

noun

ad·​he·​sion ad-ˈhē-zhən 

əd-

1

: steady or firm attachment : adherence

2

: the action or state of adhering

3

: the abnormal union of separate tissue surfaces by new fibrous tissue resulting from an inflammatory process

also : the newly formed uniting tissue

4

: agreement to join

adhesion of all nations to a copyright convention

5

: the molecular attraction exerted between the surfaces of bodies in contact

adhesional

ad-ˈhēzh-nəl 

-ˈhē-zhə-nᵊl, 

əd-

adjective

Synonyms of adhesion

• adherence
• cling
• bonding
• adhesiveness

Examples of adhesion in a Sentence

the adhesion of the coating

the adhesion of the mud to my shoes

Recent Examples on the Web

The resulting adhesive reportedly outperformed heavy-duty duct tape in adhesion strength. — New Atlas, 21 Sep. 2026

Sandwiched between them, a soft PDMS layer acts as a viscoelastic nano-spring, balancing adhesion forces so the electrodes can move reversibly without permanently sticking. — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 16 Sep. 2026

Common problems include bubbles, trimming errors, poor adhesion from dirty glass, confusion over backing liners and peeling after repositioning. — Ryan Brennan, Miami Herald, 1 Sep. 2026

Where there might be a nugget of truth (water-holding, adhesion, seed spacing), there are simpler, proven, and less messy alternatives. — Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 30 Aug. 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French or Latin; French adhésion, going back to Middle French, borrowed from Latin adhaesiōn-, adhaesiō, from adhaes-, variant stem of adhaerēre "to adhere" + -tiōn-, -tiō, suffix of action nouns (expected *adhaestiō presumably simplified to adhaesiō by analogy)

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for adhesion

• artesian
• cartesian
• cohesion
• elysian
• magnesian
• austronesian
• indonesian
• melanesian
• micronesian
• polynesian
• friesian
• lesion

Kids Definition

adhesion

noun

ad·​he·​sion ad-ˈhē-zhən 

əd-

1

: steady or firm attachment

especially : a sticking together

2

: abnormal union of tissues following inflammation (as after surgery)

3

: the molecular attraction between surfaces of bodies in contact

Medical Definition

adhesion

noun

ad·​he·​sion ad-ˈhē-zhən, əd- 

1

: the action or state of adhering

specifically : a sticking together of substances (as of glue and wood or of parts united by growth)

2

a

: the abnormal union of surfaces normally separate by the formation of new fibrous tissue resulting from an inflammatory process

also : the newly formed uniting tissue

pleural adhesions

b

: the union of wound edges especially by first intention

3

: the molecular attraction exerted between the surfaces of bodies in contact compare cohesion sense 2

adhesional

-ˈhēzh-nəl, -ˈhē-zhən-ᵊl 

adjective