agglutinate

1. United with glue or as with glue; cemented together.
2. human sciencesConsisting of root words combined but not materially altered as to form or meaning.

   an agglutinate language

   1 more example

   an agglutinate family of languages

present singular third person agglutinates · participle present agglutinating · participle past agglutinated · past agglutinated

1. transitiveTo unite, or cause to adhere, as with glue or other viscous substance; to unite by causing an adhesion of substances.

   This is a medicine, and hath a mud of that nature, that it both agglutinateth and hardneth that whereupon it is applied.

   1614, Seneca the Younger, chapter 20, in Thomas Lodge, transl., Of Natvrall Qvestions, Book 3, page 817

   3 more examples

   This is farther evident in the making glue of the dry skins of beasts and of fishes; and paste of starch; whose agglutinating quality is owing solely to the proportions of water absorbed, or intermixed by infusion, maceration, or decoction.

   1739, Alexander Stuart, Three Lectures on Muscular Motion, page xxxv

   The mud of the streets of London is then merely the dust or detritus of the granite of which they are composed, agglutinated either with rain or the water from the watering-carts.

   1851, Henry Mayhew, London Labour and the London Poor, volume 2, page 188

   […] sea water in which unfertilized eggs have been left for some time […] agglutinates the spermatozoa by their heads, increases their motility, and keeps them active for a longer time.

   1974, Jean Brachet, Introduction to Molecular Embryology, page 68

2. intransitiveTo form clusters or lumps; to clump.

   It is […] a strong and valuable coal which does not agglutinate in burning.

   1856, J. W. Foster, Report upon the Mineral Resources of the Illinois Central Railroad, page 13

   2 more examples

   If the test cells are contaminated with bacteria, they may agglutinate even in the absence of specific antibodies.

   1973, Addine G. Erskine, Principles and Practice of Blood Grouping, page 27

   In this test, if the [red blood cells] agglutinate, it indicates that antibodies are present in the serum.

   2012, Sandra A. Jacobson, Laboratory Medicine in Psychiatry and Behavioral Science, page 102

3. human sciencesTo form through agglutination.

plural agglutinates

1. countableA clump of agglutinated material.

   In some soils, agglutinates are a major constituent.

2. uncountableAgglutinated material.

   The formation of agglutinate is more abundant in mature regolith.