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interdigitate

/ˌɪntərˈdɪdʒɪˌteɪt/
IPA guide

Other forms: interdigitating; interdigitated; interdigitates

To interdigitate means to fit or weave together, like the way your fingers lock when clasping your hands.

The word interdigitate combines the Latin roots for "between" and "fingers," describing the way things fit together like interlocking fingers. This concept is often used in science and engineering to explain how structures, such as gears or bone joints, interlock to function seamlessly. For example, in biology, the overlapping grooves of a skull’s sutures interdigitate to create a strong and stable connection.

Definitions of interdigitate
  1. verb
    fit things closely together like the fingers of folded hands, often figurative
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