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
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GSIs, long known for steering digital transformations, are becoming the connective tissue that makes enterprise AI operationalizable.
—
Steve McDowell, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
Born with mild cerebral palsy and a connective tissue disorder known as Marfan Syndrome, the 25-year-old ceramicist spent his adolescence in physical therapy working with putty and Play-Doh to build up dexterity and motor control.
—David Nash, Architectural Digest, 26 Aug. 2025
Chondroitin Chondroitin is a part of human connective tissue found in bone and cartilage.
—Carol Eustice, Verywell Health, 18 Aug. 2025
Echoes of Survivors’ builds some connective tissue between incidents like the Sampoong Department Store collapse and more recent Korean disasters, including the Sewol ferry disaster, as preventable manmade tragedies driven by greed.
—Kayti Burt, Time, 15 Aug. 2025
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Steve McDowell, Forbes.com, 31 Aug. 2025
Born with mild cerebral palsy and a connective tissue disorder known as Marfan Syndrome, the 25-year-old ceramicist spent his adolescence in physical therapy working with putty and Play-Doh to build up dexterity and motor control.
—David Nash, Architectural Digest, 26 Aug. 2025
Chondroitin Chondroitin is a part of human connective tissue found in bone and cartilage.
—Carol Eustice, Verywell Health, 18 Aug. 2025
Echoes of Survivors’ builds some connective tissue between incidents like the Sampoong Department Store collapse and more recent Korean disasters, including the Sewol ferry disaster, as preventable manmade tragedies driven by greed.
—Kayti Burt, Time, 15 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for connective tissue
Cite this Entry
“Connective tissue.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/connective%20tissue. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationMedical 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)
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