Adherency is a term that is not commonly used in everyday language, but it has a significant meaning in certain contexts. This article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the meaning of adherency, its origin, and its associations.
Definitions
Adherency refers to the quality of being adherent, which means being attached or sticking to something. In scientific and medical contexts, adherency is often used to describe the ability of a substance or material to stick to another surface. For example, a bandage with good adherency will stick firmly to the skin without causing irritation or discomfort.
Origin
The word adherency comes from the Latin word “adhaerentia,” which means “adherence” or “attachment.” The term has been in use since the 17th century and has been adopted by various fields, including science, medicine, and engineering.
Meaning in different dictionaries
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, adherency means “the quality or state of being adherent.” The Oxford English Dictionary defines it as “the quality or state of being adhesive.” In both cases, the word refers to the ability of a substance to stick to another surface.
Associations
Adherency is closely associated with adhesion, which refers to the attraction between molecules of different substances. Adhesion is essential in many biological processes, such as the binding of white blood cells to the lining of blood vessels. In engineering, adhesion is used to describe the ability of two materials to stick together, such as in the bonding of two pieces of metal.
Synonyms
Some synonyms of adherency include attachment, adhesion, stickiness, and tenacity. These words all refer to the ability of a substance to stick to another surface.
Antonyms
Antonyms of adherency include detachment, separation, and non-adhesion. These words describe the opposite of adherency, which is the ability of a substance to not stick to another surface.
The same root words
Adherency shares the same root word with other related terms, such as adhesive, adhesion, and adhere. These words all come from the Latin word “adhaerentia,” which means “adherence” or “attachment.”.
Example Sentences
- The bandage has excellent adherency and will stay in place for several days.
- The adhesive used in this product has poor adherency and may not stick to all surfaces.
- The success of this project depends on the adherency of the two materials being used.
- The researchers studied the adherency of the cells to the substrate to understand their behavior.
- The company developed a new adhesive with improved adherency for use in industrial applications.