coupling

noun

cou·​pling

(usual for sense 2)

ˈkə-pliŋ 

-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

Synonyms

• junction
• intersection

Examples of coupling in a Sentence

the couplings between railroad cars

a coupling of literature and science

Recent Examples on the Web

In this case, the researchers suggest that the abnormal theta-alpha coupling may reflect a pathological neural signature of OCD. —New Atlas, 3 Aug. 2025

With six boys and six girls in the villa, only five male and five female bombshells were introduced, meaning two Islanders were left single and at risk after the first coupling. —Monica Mercuri, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025

After a mere 24 hours of coupling up, the Islanders had to recouple again, and the girl and the guy left single would be dumped from the villa. —Armando Tinoco, Deadline, 24 June 2025

Some of Oscar’s studs and couplings are actually copies from a company called Goldsmiths and Silversmiths, which was founded in 1880 by members of my own family a few generations back. —Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 28 July 2025

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for coupling

• decoupling
• uncoupling

Kids Definition

coupling

noun

cou·​pling ˈkəp-liŋ ( 

 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 

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

: bigeminy