The word adhesive is spelled with a "d" after the vowel "s" due to the pronunciation of the word. In IPA phonetic transcription, the word is /ədˈhiːsɪv/. The "s" and "h" sounds are blended together in the middle of the word, creating a voiced fricative sound that sounds like "z." In English, when a voiced fricative sound follows an unvoiced fricative sound, like "s" and "h," the consonant that follows the vowels is voiced, hence the "d" in adhesive.
Adhesive is an adjective that pertains to the quality or characteristic of being able to stick or adhere to a surface or material. It is commonly used to describe substances or materials that are used to join or bond two objects together by creating a strong bond or attachment between them.
In the context of materials and substances, adhesive refers to a sticky or glue-like substance that is applied to a surface to form a strong bond or attachment. These substances typically have properties that allow them to bind two objects together by adhering to both surfaces. Examples of adhesives include glue, epoxy, tape, cement, or any other sticky material that can create a strong bond between different materials, such as paper, wood, plastic, metal, or fabric.
The term adhesive can also be used in a broader sense to signify anything that has the ability to join or unite different entities together, not necessarily limited to physical objects. It may refer to concepts or ideas that bring people or events together, like a common interest or shared goal. In this context, adhesive refers to the ability of something to create harmony, cohesion, or connection between individuals or groups.
Overall, adhesive is an adjective that describes the quality of stickiness or cohesiveness resulting in the ability to join or bond different materials or entities together, either physically or metaphorically.
Sticky; causing adhesion.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
Gluey; sticky.
Etymological and pronouncing dictionary of the English language. By Stormonth, James, Phelp, P. H. Published 1874.
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
The word "adhesive" comes from the Latin word "adhaerēre", which means "to stick to" or "to adhere". The Latin term is derived from the prefix "ad", meaning "to", and "haerēre", meaning "to stick". Over time, the Latin term evolved into "adhaesīvus" and was eventually borrowed into English as "adhesive" in the 17th century.