connection

The word connection is good for talking about the way things relate to each other. Your special connection to your cousin might have something to do with your mutual love for science fiction and barbecue.

A connection can be physical, like the leash that provides the connection between you and your German shepherd, or emotional, like the connection you feel with your best friend. Any kind of direct relation is a connection as well, such as the connection a detective makes between a footprint at a crime scene and a suspect's favorite pair of shoes. The root is the Latin connexionem, "a binding or joining together."

Primary Meanings of connection

1.
 n
a relation between things or events (as in the case of one causing the other or sharing features with it)
2.
 n
(usually plural) a person who is influential and to whom you are connected in some way (as by family or friendship)
Full Definitions of connection
1

n a relation between things or events (as in the case of one causing the other or sharing features with it)

“there was a connection between eating that pickle and having that nightmare”
Synonyms:
connectedness, connexion
Antonyms:
unconnectedness
the lack of a connection between things
Types:
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series
(electronics) connection of components in such a manner that current flows first through one and then through the other
alliance, bond
a connection based on kinship or marriage or common interest
linkage
an associative relation
communication
a connection allowing access between persons or places
concatenation
the linking together of a consecutive series of symbols or events or ideas etc
bridge
something resembling a bridge in form or function
involvement
a connection of inclusion or containment
relevance, relevancy
the relation of something to the matter at hand
relatedness
a particular manner of connectedness
silver cord
the emotional bond between a mother and her offspring
link, nexus
the means of connection between things linked in series
implication
a relation implicated by virtue of involvement or close connection (especially an incriminating involvement)
comprehension, inclusion
the relation of comprising something
materiality
relevance requiring careful consideration
cogency
persuasive relevance
point
a style in speech or writing that arrests attention and has a penetrating or convincing quality or effect
applicability, pertinence, pertinency
relevance by virtue of being applicable to the matter at hand
bearing
relevant relation or interconnection
Type of:
relation
an abstraction belonging to or characteristic of two entities or parts together

n the process of bringing ideas or events together in memory or imagination

Synonyms:
association, connexion
Types:
colligation
the connection of isolated facts by a general hypothesis
generalisation, generalization, induction, inductive reasoning
reasoning from detailed facts to general principles
Type of:
memory, remembering
the cognitive processes whereby past experience is remembered

n the state of being connected

“the connection between church and state is inescapable”
Synonyms:
connectedness, link
Antonyms:
disconnectedness, disconnection, disjunction, disjuncture
state of being disconnected
Types:
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contact
the state or condition of touching or of being in immediate proximity
concatenation
the state of being linked together as in a chain; union in a linked series
interconnectedness, interconnection
a state of being connected reciprocally
coherence, coherency, cohesion, cohesiveness
the state of cohering or sticking together
osculation
(mathematics) a contact of two curves (or two surfaces) at which they have a common tangent
tangency
the state of being tangent; having contact at a single point or along a line without crossing
consistency
logical coherence and accordance with the facts
continuity
uninterrupted connection or union
Type of:
unification, union
the state of being joined or united or linked

n the act of bringing two things into contact (especially for communication)

“there was a connection via the internet”
Synonyms:
connexion, joining
Types:
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hit
a connection made via the internet to another website
interconnection
(computer science) the act of interconnecting (wires or computers or theories etc.)
intersection
the act of intersecting (as joining by causing your path to intersect your target's path)
approximation, bringing close together
the act of bringing near or bringing together especially the cut edges of tissue
concatenation
the act of linking together as in a series or chain
convergence, convergency, converging
the act of converging (coming closer)
coming upon, encounter
a casual meeting with a person or thing
articulation
the act of joining things in such a way that motion is possible
adjunction, junction
an act of joining or adjoining things
attachment, fastening
the act of fastening things together
coming together, meeting, merging
the act of joining together as one
bonding, soldering
fastening firmly together
doweling
fastening by dowels
earthing, grounding
fastening electrical equipment to earth
linkage
the act of linking things together
ligature, tying
the act of tying or binding things together
welding
fastening two pieces of metal together by softening with heat and applying pressure
fixation
the activity of fastening something firmly in position
Type of:
change of integrity
the act of changing the unity or wholeness of something

n an instrumentality that connects

“he soldered the connection”
Synonyms:
connecter, connective, connector, connexion
Types:
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attachment, bond
a connection that fastens things together
backbone
the part of a network that connects other networks together
earth, ground
a connection between an electrical device and a large conducting body, such as the earth (which is taken to be at zero voltage)
hitch
a connection between a vehicle and the load that it pulls
hookup
a device providing a connection between a power source and a user
jumper
a small connector used to make temporary electrical connections
conjunction, junction
something that joins or connects
slip ring
connection consisting of a metal ring on a rotating part of a machine; provides a continuous electrical connection through brushes on stationary contacts
line, phone line, subscriber line, telephone circuit, telephone line
a telephone connection
patch, temporary hookup
a connection intended to be used for a limited time
coupling, yoke
a connection (like a clamp or vise) between two things so they move together
contact, tangency
(electronics) a junction where things (as two electrical conductors) touch or are in physical contact
DSL, digital subscriber line
a generic name for digital lines that are provided by telephone companies to their local subscribers and that carry data at high speeds
hot line
a direct telephone line between two officials
joint
junction by which parts or objects are joined together
booster cable, jumper cable, jumper lead, lead
a jumper that consists of a short piece of wire
barrier strip, junction barrier
a junction unit for connecting 2 cables without the need for plugs
land line, landline
a telephone line that travels over terrestrial circuits
ligament
any connection or unifying bond
party line
a telephone line serving two or more subscribers
private line
a telephone line serving a single subscriber
splice, splicing
a junction where two things (as paper or film or magnetic tape) have been joined together
thermojunction
a junction between two dissimilar metals across which a voltage appears
toll line
a telephone line for long-distance calls
trunk line
a telephone line connecting two exchanges directly
WATS, WATS line
a telephone line;long distance service at fixed rates for fixed zones; an acronym for wide area telephone service
Type of:
instrumentality, instrumentation
an artifact (or system of artifacts) that is instrumental in accomplishing some end

n a connecting shape

Synonyms:
connexion, link
Types:
node
a connecting point at which several lines come together
articulation, join, joint, junction, juncture
the shape or manner in which things come together and a connection is made
esophagogastric junction, oesophagogastric junction
the junction between the esophagus and the stomach epithelium
Type of:
form, shape
the spatial arrangement of something as distinct from its substance

n shifting from one form of transportation to another

“the plane was late and he missed his connection in Atlanta”
Synonyms:
connexion
Type of:
conveyance, transfer, transferral, transport, transportation
the act of moving something from one location to another
2

n (usually plural) a person who is influential and to whom you are connected in some way (as by family or friendship)

“he has powerful connections”
Type of:
acquaintance, friend
a person with whom you are acquainted

n a supplier (especially of narcotics)

Type of:
provider, supplier
someone whose business is to supply a particular service or commodity

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