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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
Malana Vantyler, USA Today, 6 Nov. 2025
Place them all on a single tray to further create a cohesive look.
—Tessa Cooper, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 Nov. 2025
The good news is that there are plenty of alternatives that create a more unified and cohesive look, including (but not limited to) Roman shades, roller shades, and café-style curtains.
—Quincy Bulin, Southern Living, 29 Oct. 2025
And yet, there are signs of a countercurrent, with some newer listening options hinting at a more cohesive alternative.
—Jonathan Garrett, The Atlantic, 29 Oct. 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 14 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical Definition
cohesive
adjective
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