What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
catenate
Example
The DNA strands catenate to form a double helix structure. [catenate: verb]
Example
The artist used different colored beads to catenate a beautiful necklace. [catenating: gerund or present participle]
concatenate
Example
In programming, you can concatenate two strings using the '+' operator. [concatenate: verb]
Example
The report contains the concatenated data from multiple sources. [concatenated: past tense]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Concatenate is more commonly used than catenate in everyday language, especially in the field of computer science and programming. Concatenate is a widely recognized term in these contexts, while catenate is less common and more specific to scientific or technical domains.
Whatโs the difference in the tone of formality between catenate and concatenate?
While catenate is associated with a more formal and technical tone, concatenate is versatile and can be used in both formal and informal contexts, particularly in the field of computer science and programming.