noun
- a tying or binding together
- a thing used in tying or binding together; tie, bond, etc.
- a written or printed character containing two or more letters united, as æ,fl,t̸h
- a curved line connecting such letters in writing
- Music
- in medieval mensural notation, a symbol representing two or more notes
- a curved line joining two or more notes in a tie or slur
- the notes so connected
- Surgery a thread or wire used to tie up an artery, etc.
Origin:
ME < MFr < LL ligatura < pp. of L ligare, to bind < IE base *leiĝ-, to bind > MLowG līk, a tie, MHG geleich, joint, Alb lidhe, a bond
transitive verb ligatured, ligaturing
to tie or bind together with a ligature; ligate