I. ˈligəchə(r), -gəˌchu̇(ə)r, -u̇ə noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French, from Late Latin ligatura tie, bond, from Latin ligatus (past participle of ligare to bind, tie) + -ura -ure; akin to Middle Low German līk band, Middle High German ge leich joint, limb, Albanian lith I tie
1.
a. : something that is used to bind ; specifically : a thread, wire, or other material used in surgery (as for tying the blood vessels)
b. : something that unites or connects : bond
having no ligature of race and family affection to bind them together — Horace Bushnell
2. : the action of binding or tying
the ligature of an artery
3.
a. in mensural notation : a compound note form indicating a group of musical notes or tones to be sung to one syllable
b. : a flexible metal band with its adjusting screws that holds in place the reed of single reed woodwind instruments (as of a clarinet)
4.
a. : a character consisting of two or more letters combined into one or joined by a tie
b. : a connecting line or stroke (as ◡ or ◠) used to indicate that two successive sounds are pronounced as one syllable
c. : two or more letters printed together as an identifying symbol — used especially of such a symbol printed at the beginning of news copy to identify the wire service responsible for it
5.
a. : an amulet bound to some part of a person's body and supposed to have a magic power to destroy an enemy whose cut hair or nails it contains
b. : a state of sexual impotence thought to be induced by witchcraft
II. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
: to tie up : bind
ligaturing the blood vessels — Veterinary Record