ligature

[ˈlɪɡətjʊə]

ligature Definition

  • 1a thing used for tying or binding something tightly
  • 2a character consisting of two or more joined letters, such as æ, œ, or fl

Using ligature: Examples

Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "ligature" can be used in various situations through the following examples!

  • Example

    The surgeon used a ligature to tie off the blood vessels.

  • Example

    The ligature in the font made it difficult to read.

  • Example

    The ligature of the shoelace came undone.

ligature Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms for ligature

Phrases with ligature

  • a curved line connecting notes on a sheet of music indicating that they are to be played or sung as a single phrase

    Example

    The musical ligature in the score indicated that the notes should be played legato.

  • a combination of two or more letters into a single glyph or character

    Example

    The typographical ligature 'æ' is commonly used in English words like 'aesthetic' and 'encyclopædia'.

  • a thread or wire used to tie off blood vessels during surgery

    Example

    The surgeon tied a surgical ligature around the artery to stop the bleeding.

Origins of ligature

from Latin 'ligatura', meaning 'a binding'

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Summary: ligature in Brief

A 'ligature' [ˈlɪɡətjʊə] can refer to a tool for tying or binding something tightly, such as a surgical ligature used to tie off blood vessels. It can also refer to a character consisting of two or more joined letters, such as æ or œ, which are used in typography. Other examples include musical ligatures, which connect notes on a sheet of music, and typographical ligatures, which combine letters into a single glyph.