ligature
/ˈlɪɡət͡ʃɚ/
Word Rarity
Rare
Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.78 in modern English
9
Scrabble Score
8
Letters
3
Syllables
8
Unique Chars
Meaning
noun
A cord or similar thing used to tie something; especially the thread used in surgery to close a vessel or duct.
Countable
noun
A character that visually combines multiple letters, such as æ, œ, ß or ij; also logotype. Sometimes called a typographic ligature.
Countable
noun
A linker word that is classified as a separate part of speech, usually present in Philippine languages.
Countable; Uncountable
Example Sentences
- "anti-ligature clothing"
- "I likewiſe felt ſeveral ſlender Ligatures acroſs my Body, from my Armpits to my Thighs. I could only look upwards, the Sun began to grow hot, and the Light offended mine Eyes."
- "He hid shoelaces or rope under cushions to use as ligatures."
- "the ligature of a joint"
- "The Roman epic poet Vergil refers to the incapacitating effects of ligatures, while Ovid, the erotic poet, admits the power of such spell-bindings."
Etymology
Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *leyǵ-der. Latin ligō Proto-Indo-European *-tew-? Proto-Indo-European *-r-eh₂? Latin -tūra Late Latin ligātūrabor. Middle French ligaturebor. Middle English ligature English ligature From Middle English ligature, from Middle French ligature, from Late Latin ligātūra, from ligāre (“to tie, bind”).
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: *leyǵ-, ligature, ligātūra
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈlɪɡət͡ʃɚ/