coupling

noun

cou·​pling
(usual for sense 2)
ˈkə-pliŋ How to pronounce coupling (audio)
-pə-liŋ
1
: the act of bringing or coming together : pairing
specifically : sexual union
2
: a device that serves to connect the ends of adjacent parts or objects
3
: the joining of or the part of the body that joins the hindquarters to the forequarters of a quadruped
4
: a means of electric connection of two electric circuits by having a part common to both

Examples of coupling in a Sentence

the couplings between railroad cars a coupling of literature and science
Recent Examples on the Web Alia then derisively witnesses a Fremen spice orgy of clapping, singing, drinking, and coupling. Max Evry, WIRED, 4 Mar. 2024 If undiscovered fields exist, either their mass is higher than the LHC can reach or their coupling to the fields of the Standard Model is too weak for the LHC to create them. Luke Caldwell, Scientific American, 16 Jan. 2024 The leaks were due to an improper assembly of couplings at the factories, the FAA said. Rebecca Cohen, NBC News, 8 Jan. 2024 These star couplings also began at different stages of life. Frederic J. Frommer, Kansas City Star, 18 Feb. 2024 While the couplings are as diverse and inclusive as open-minded audiences could possibly hope for, one unifying factor is the copious amount of lube. Catherine Bray, Variety, 17 Feb. 2024 The institute model lessens the coupling between research and training by not being in the business of training more Ph.D.s. Paula Stephan, STAT, 2 Feb. 2024 Thus, in the equations of string theory, key values — such as particle masses, lambda, or the coupling constants that dictate the strength of interactions — are not fixed. Steve Nadis, Quanta Magazine, 1 Feb. 2024 The automatic chronograph also sports a double coupling system and a column wheel from the dial side. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 8 Dec. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'coupling.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of coupling was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near coupling

Cite this Entry

“Coupling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coupling. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

coupling

noun
cou·​pling ˈkəp-liŋ ( How to pronounce coupling (audio)
 usual for sense 2  ),
-ə-liŋ
1
: the act of bringing or coming together
2
: something that connects two parts or things

Medical Definition

coupling

noun
cou·​pling ˈkəp-liŋ, -ə-liŋ How to pronounce coupling (audio)
1
: the joint together with its supporting structures between the last lumbar vertebra and the sacrum that joins the hindquarters of a quadruped to the trunk
broadly : the part of the body or the conformation and proportionate length of the part of the body that joins the hindquarters to the forequarters
2
: the tendency of linked traits to be inherited together in offspring of a double heterozygote when both dominant genes occur on one chromosome and both recessive genes occur on the homologous chromosome compare repulsion
3

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