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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The transfer remained faster across a wide variety of parameters, including the strength of environmental coupling, the range of interactions, and the amount of structural disorder. Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 1 Oct. 2025 Love Is Blind has produced a number of happy couplings since premiering in 2020. Randall Colburn, Entertainment Weekly, 1 Oct. 2025 Instead, the brain and body work in tandem using perception-action coupling to constantly develop precise, flexible movements. Jared Weiss, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025 The first act is formulaic and its plot direction and obvious romantic couplings are forecast from the start. Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for coupling

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

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Coupling.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coupling. Accessed 7 Oct. 2025.

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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