ligature

/ˈlɪgətʃər/

Other forms: ligatures

Ligature is when two things are tied or stitched together, and it's also the thread or cord that's used to do the binding. If you hit your head and need stitches, you'll go to the emergency room for ligature.

Doctors and nurses are all well-trained in ligature (since they are always stiching people up), but they are not the only people familiar with ligature. When a robber ties up victims before robbing a store, the rope used to tie their hands is also a ligature, and when a musician connects two notes with a slur — singing or playing them as one syllable — that's a ligature too. The word comes from the Latin root ligatura, "a band," from ligare, "to bind."

Definitions of ligature

1. noun

   the act of tying or binding things together
   synonyms: tying

   types:

   ligation

   (surgery) tying a duct or blood vessel with a ligature (as to prevent bleeding during surgery)

   tubal ligation

   a sterilization procedure with women; both Fallopian tubes are tied in two places and the tubes removed in between the ligations

   type of:

   attachment, fastening

   the act of fastening things together
2. noun

   something used to tie or bind
   synonyms: binder

   type of:

   ligament

   any connection or unifying bond
3. noun

   thread used by surgeons to bind a vessel (as to constrict the flow of blood)
   type of:

   thread, yarn

   a fine cord of twisted fibers (of cotton or silk or wool or nylon etc.) used in sewing and weaving
4. noun

   a metal band used to attach a reed to the mouthpiece of a clarinet or saxophone
   type of:

   band

   a restraint put around something to hold it together
5. noun

   character consisting of two or more letters combined into one
   type of:

   character, grapheme, graphic symbol

   a written symbol that is used to represent speech
6. noun

   (music) a group of notes connected by a slur
   type of:

   musical phrase, phrase

   a short musical passage