The Latin verb haerēre has shown remarkable stick-to-itiveness in influencing the English lexicon, which is fitting for a word that means "to be closely attached; to stick." Among its descendants are adhere (literally meaning "to stick"), adhere’s relative adhesive (a word for sticky substances), inhere (meaning "to belong by nature or habit"), and even hesitate (which implies remaining stuck in place before taking action). In Latin, haerēre teamed up with the prefix co- to form cohaerēre, which means "to stick together." Cohaerēre is the ancestor of cohesive, a word borrowed into English in the early 18th century to describe something that sticks together literally (such as dough or mud) or figuratively (such as a society or sports team).
Examples of cohesive in a Sentence
Their tribe is a small but cohesive group.
Religion can be used as a cohesive social force.
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Here, the curtains seamlessly blend with the existing color scheme, creating a cohesive look while subtly drawing the eye to other vibrant pops of color throughout the space.—Macie Stump, Southern Living, 26 Jan. 2025 The set includes a queen comforter and two matching pillow shams to create a cohesive look in the bedroom.—Kelsey Fredricks, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Jan. 2025 The original trilogy, released during the seventh generation of consoles, tells a cohesive story set in the far future of human civilization.—Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 25 Jan. 2025 The wedding-ready piece requires minimal accessories; just add heels and a handbag for a cohesive look.—Miles Walls, People.com, 25 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for cohesive
Word History
Etymology
Latin cohaesus, past participle of cohaerēre "to stick together, cohere" + -ive
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