Meanings
comparative more adhesive · superlative most adhesive · alternative obsolete adhæsive
- Sticky; tenacious, as glutinous substances.
adhesive tape
1 more example
adhesive material
Synonyms: claggy
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectiveSticky; tenacious, as glutinous substances.
More synonyms by meaning
adjectivetending to adhere
nouna substance that unites or bonds surfaces together
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
- Proto-Indo-European*h₂éd
- Proto-Italic*ad
- Proto-Italic*ad-
- Latinad-
- Latinhaereō
- Latinadhaereō
- Medieval Latinadhaesivu
- Frenchadhésif
- Englishadhesive
From French adhésif, from Medieval Latin adhaesivus, from adhaereō (supine adhaesum); see adhere.
More words from French, Medieval Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Bulgarian ле́пкав, лепли́в
- ле́пкав (lépkav)sticky
- лепли́в (leplív)sticky
- лепи́ло (lepílo)substance that provides or promotes adhesion
- тутка́л (tutkál)substance that provides or promotes adhesion
Catalan adhesiu, adhesiu
- adhesiusticky
- adhesiuclinging
- adhesiusubstance that provides or promotes adhesion
Chinese Mandarin 黏合劑 /黏合剂
- 黏合劑 /黏合剂 (niánhéjì)substance that provides or promotes adhesion
Dutch adhesief
- adhesiefsticky
Esperanto gluebla
- glueblasticky
Finnish tarttuva, kiinnittyvä
- tarttuvasticky
- kiinnittyvästicky
- adhesiivinensticky
- tarttuvaclinging
- kiinnittyväclinging
- adhesiivinenclinging
- sidosainesubstance that provides or promotes adhesion
- liimasubstance that provides or promotes adhesion
- sideainesubstance that provides or promotes adhesion
French adhésif, collant
- adhésifsticky
- collantsticky
- adhésifsubstance that provides or promotes adhesion
German klebend, adhäsiv
- klebendsticky
- adhäsivsticky
- klebrigclinging
- Klebstoffsubstance that provides or promotes adhesion
- Klebersubstance that provides or promotes adhesion
- Leimsubstance that provides or promotes adhesion
Indonesian adhesif
- adhesifsticky
Irish greamaitheach, ábhar greamaitheach
- greamaitheachsticky
- ábhar greamaitheachsubstance that provides or promotes adhesion
- greamachánsubstance that provides or promotes adhesion
Italian adesivo
- adesivosubstance that provides or promotes adhesion
Japanese 接着剤
- 接着剤 (setchakuzai)substance that provides or promotes adhesion
Korean 접착제
- 접착제 (jeopchakje)substance that provides or promotes adhesion
Latin adhaesivus, adhaesivus
- adhaesivussticky
- adhaesivussubstance that provides or promotes adhesion
Lithuanian lipnus
- lipnussticky
Persian چَسبان
- چَسبان (časbân)sticky
Portuguese adesivo, aderente
- adesivosticky
- aderenteclinging
- adesivosubstance that provides or promotes adhesion
Russian кле́йкий, ли́пкий
- кле́йкий (kléjkij)sticky
- ли́пкий (lípkij)sticky
- клей (klej)substance that provides or promotes adhesion
Scottish Gaelic leanmhainn, leanailteach
- leanmhainnsticky
- leanailteachsticky
- leanmhainnclinging
- leanailteachclinging
Spanish adhesivo, adhesivo
- adhesivosticky
- adhesivoclinging
- adhesivosubstance that provides or promotes adhesion
Swedish vidhäftande, klister
- vidhäftandesticky
- klistersubstance that provides or promotes adhesion
Ukrainian клей
- клей (klej)substance that provides or promotes adhesion
Welsh adlynol, adlyn
- adlynolsticky
- adlynsubstance that provides or promotes adhesion
Cite this entry
adhesive. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/adhesive
“adhesive.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/adhesive. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “adhesive,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/adhesive.
Source: adhesive on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.