ligature

Etymology

From Middle English ligature, from Middle French ligature, from Late Latin ligātura, from Latin ligātus, past participle of ligāre (“to tie, bind”).

noun

1. (uncountable) The act of tying or binding something.
2. (countable) A cord or similar thing used to tie something; especially the thread used in surgery to close a vessel or duct.
   He hid shoelaces or rope under cushions to use as ligatures. 2018, Eli Rosenberg, “She stalked the Golden State Killer until she died. Some think her work led to the suspect’s arrest”, in The Washington Post
3. A thread or wire used to remove tumours, etc.
4. The state of being bound or stiffened; stiffness.
   the ligature of a joint
5. (countable, typography) A character that visually combines multiple letters, such as æ, œ, ß or ij; also logotype. Sometimes called a typographic ligature.
   Meronym: ligand
6. (countable, music) A group of notes played as a phrase, or the curved line that indicates such a phrase.
7. (music) A curve or line connecting notes; a slur.
8. (countable) A piece used to hold a reed to the mouthpiece on woodwind instruments.
9. Impotence caused by magic or charms.

verb

1. (surgery) To ligate; to tie.