ad-

to, toward; addition; sometimes emphasis

Forms

ad-
ac- — Used before c in Latin.
af- — Used before f in Latin.
ag- — Used before g in Latin.
al- — Used before l in Latin.
ap- — Used before p in Latin.
ar- — Used before r in Latin.
as- — Used before s in Latin.
at- — Used before t in Latin.

Origin

Reconstructed Proto-Indo-European *ad, ‘to; near.’

Note

Later Latin-based spellings sometimes restored consonants that had disappeared in French.

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noun / adjective

adhesive

uhd-HEE-siv/ədˈhiːsɪv/

A substance that makes surfaces stick together, or having this ability.

A bead of adhesive remains visible where the wooden strips join.

An open glue bottle beside two small wooden strips bonded in an overlapping joint, with a visible bead of the same creamy adhesive squeezed out along the seam.

Etymology

adLatinto, toward; addition; sometimes emphasis

+hesLatinstick or cling

+iveFrenchhaving a quality or tendency

The pieces describe something that tends to “stick to.” The adjective meaning “sticky” became a noun naming a substance that makes other things stick together.

In context

Lone Fox23:49

i used a bit of fabri-tac adhesive to just glue this down to the backside to hide any of the ugliness from that terrazzo paper

10 DIY DOLLAR TREE HOME DECOR PROJECTS - Affordable + Cute $1 Decor Transformations!

More examples

The label has an adhesive backing.
Different adhesives work best on different materials.
He covers the small tear with adhesive tape.

Forms

adhesive · adhesives

adhesion noun — The process or state of sticking together.

Similar words

glue: A common type of adhesive, often applied as a liquid.
sealant: Primarily closes gaps rather than fastening two surfaces together.