cord

noun

\ ˈkȯrd

Definition of cord

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : a long slender flexible material usually consisting of several strands (as of thread or yarn) woven or twisted together

b : the hangman's rope

2 : a moral, spiritual, or emotional bond

3a : an anatomical structure (such as a nerve or tendon) resembling a cord especially : umbilical cord sense 1a

b : a small flexible insulated electrical cable having a plug at one or both ends used to connect a lamp or other appliance with a receptacle

4 : a unit of wood cut for fuel equal to a stack 4 x 4 x 8 feet or 128 cubic feet

5a : a rib like a cord on a textile

b(1) : a fabric made with such ribs or a garment made of such a fabric

(2) cords plural : trousers made of such a fabric

cord

verb

corded; cording; cords

Definition of cord (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to furnish, bind, or connect with a cord

2 : to pile up (wood) in cords

Other Words from cord Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More about cord

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Synonyms for cord

Synonyms: Noun

Examples of cord in a Sentence

Noun She wore the key on a cord around her neck. They used cords to tie the tent to the trees.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun The power cord for the frame is held on magnetically, so it can be attached or detached easily. — Jim Rossman, Dallas News, 3 June 2021 There’s nothing worse than having a random cord mixed with your shoes or your deodorant thrown in with your delicates. — Madeline Fass, Vogue, 3 June 2021 If there was a window open, the cord would snake into the house and get hooked on a doorknob. — Star Tribune, 28 May 2021 With a relaxed fit, covered, zippered hand pockets with elastic cuffs and a hem-cinch cord to help seal out weather, it's got 70-plus near-perfect reviews. — Arielle Tschinkel, USA TODAY, 27 May 2021 The method runs a flexible cord down the outside of the curve, through screws drilled into the vertebrae. — Katie Palmer, STAT, 14 May 2021 Having a replacement power cord is a smart investment. — Chris Hachey, BGR, 6 May 2021 This one from Bissell has an 18-foot power cord and comes with a wide-mouth tool, a crevice tool, and a hose. — Christie Calucchia, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 May 2021 The audio cable connects at a right angle to protect the port and the cord itself. — Anthony Karcz, Forbes, 25 May 2021 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb That means a minimal number of poles, preferably shock-corded for fast assembly, and tent clips that snap onto the pole system without a wrestling match. — The Editors, Field & Stream, 15 Apr. 2020 All the freedom of a free-roaming gas chainsaw with the environmental sensitivity of a corded electric. — Popular Science, 15 Apr. 2020 This corded jigsaw from Black+Decker features a five-amp variable speed motor and an adjustable shoe that’s great for making perfect bevel cuts at an angle of up to 45 degrees. — Popular Science, 17 Apr. 2020 Above the impressively broad shoulders is a hump resembling that of a Plains bison, but the hair of a musk ox is more like a mountain goat’s, long and corded, with a woolly underlayer to insulate it from the arctic cold. — Andrew Mckean, Outdoor Life, 21 Feb. 2020 Pros: The fit was good and the product is well made, with an interior flap under the zipper, corded edging, and finished seams. — The Good Housekeeping Institute, Good Housekeeping, 10 Aug. 2010 Rotary tools are available in both corded electric and cordless versions. — Joseph Truini, Popular Mechanics, 24 July 2019 Fearn’s office, empty, shows on a screen, forest-tall metal bookshelves bungee-corded together in the background. — Sarah Scoles, Scientific American, 29 July 2019 Jabra's Move headphones work wirelessly or corded with the included 3.5mm headphone cable. — Wired Staff, WIRED, 15 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cord.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for cord

Noun

Middle English cord, corde, borrowed from Anglo-French corde "string, rope," going back to Latin chorda, corda "tripe, string of a musical instrument," borrowed from Greek khordḗ "catgut, string of a musical instrument, sausage," in plural "guts, tripe" — more at yarn entry 1

Verb

Middle English corden "to string a bow," in part derivative of cord, corde cord entry 1, in part borrowed from Anglo-French corder "to tie with a cord"

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