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
Their tribe is a small but cohesive group.
Religion can be used as a cohesive social force.
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Our egos and self-interests and preferences and quirks – these are very difficult to blend in a cohesive fashion.—Nick Tzitzon, Fortune, 18 Oct. 2025 The darker tone also draws the eye, subtly highlighting architectural details while remaining cohesive with the overall palette.—Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 18 Oct. 2025 So both movies together feel cohesive.—Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 16 Oct. 2025 The app works seamlessly with iOS features like Siri and CarPlay, providing a smooth and cohesive experience for Apple users.—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 13 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for cohesive
Word History
Etymology
Latin cohaesus, past participle of cohaerēre "to stick together, cohere" + -ive
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