connective tissue

noun

: a tissue of mesodermal origin that consists of various cells (such as fibroblasts and macrophages) and interlacing protein fibers (as of collagen) embedded in a chiefly carbohydrate ground substance, that supports, ensheathes, and binds together other tissues, and that includes loose and dense forms (such as adipose tissue, tendons, ligaments, and aponeuroses) and specialized forms (such as cartilage and bone)

Examples of connective tissue in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

How Duckbill is Blending AI and Human Workloads This is where Joyce came up with the idea for an AI/human platform that could function as the connective tissue between those two realities. —Jason Phillips, USA Today, 18 June 2026

By lifting the muscles, fat and connective tissues together, the cheeks, jawline and neck can often be restored to a more youthful position with less tension on the skin itself. —Carlos Wolf, Miami Herald, 17 June 2026

There’s fun connective tissue between Penn and Cooper. —Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 16 June 2026

Instead, it is built primarily from areolar and adipose connective tissue, which is loose, fatty, flexible material threaded through with a surprisingly generous blood supply and a dense network of nerve endings. —Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 13 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1846, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for connective tissue

• accrue
• ado
• ainu
• aircrew
• airscrew
• anew
• askew
• baboo
• babu
• bamboo
• beaucoup
• bijou

Kids Definition

connective tissue

noun

: a tissue (as bone, cartilage, or tendon) that forms a supporting framework for the body or its parts and has protein fibers between the cells composing it

Medical Definition

connective tissue

noun

con·​nec·​tive tissue kə-ˌnek-tiv- 

: a tissue of mesodermal origin that consists of various cells (as fibroblasts and macrophages) and interlacing protein fibers (as of collagen) embedded in a chiefly carbohydrate ground substance, that supports, ensheathes, and binds together other tissues, and that includes loose and dense forms (as adipose tissue, tendons, ligaments, and aponeuroses) and specialized forms (as cartilage and bone)