ligature

[lig-uh-cher, -choor]

noun

1. the act of binding or tying up.

   The ligature of the artery was done with skill.

2. anything that serves for binding or tying up, as a band, bandage, or cord.

3. a tie or bond.

   the ligature of mutual need that bound them together.

4. Printing, Orthography.,  a stroke or bar connecting two letters.

5. Printing.,  a character or type combining two or more letters, as fl and æ.

6. Music.

   1. a slur.

   2. a group of notes connected by a slur.

   3. a metal band for securing the reed of a clarinet or saxophone to the mouthpiece.

7. Surgery.,  a thread or wire for constriction of blood vessels or for removing tumors by strangulation.

verb (used with object)

ligatured, ligaturing 

1. to bind with a ligature; tie up; ligate.

ligature

/ -ˌtʃʊə, ˈlɪɡətʃə /

noun

1. the act of binding or tying up

2. something used to bind

3. a link, bond, or tie

4. surgery a thread or wire for tying around a vessel, duct, etc, as for constricting the flow of blood to a part

5. printing a character of two or more joined letters, such as, fl, ffi, ffl

6. music

   1. a slur or the group of notes connected by it

   2. (in plainsong notation) a symbol indicating two or more notes grouped together

verb

1. (tr) to bind with a ligature; ligate

Other Word Forms

• unligatured adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of ligature¹

First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English word from Late Latin word ligātūra. See ligate, -ure

Word History and Origins

Origin of ligature¹

C14: from Late Latin ligātūra, ultimately from Latin ligāre to bind

Example Sentences

A ligature cutter was locked in a box and no one knew the combination to unlock it.

From BBC

San Martin died at his Los Angeles residence and his cause of death was ruled suicide by “ligature hanging,” according to the coroner’s records.

From Los Angeles Times

He tied their hands using ligatures and electrical cord cut from a Nintendo game box in the room.

From Los Angeles Times

The review into Dr MacRae’s death revealed a risk assessment of her room carried out by senior nurses in February 2019 described the doors as “high risk” because of the presence of ligature points.

From BBC

The prosecution said the existence of "fixed potential ligature points" amounted to breaches of safety laws.

From BBC