Definition of "connective" [con•nect•ive]

• Serving or tending to connect. (adjective)
• One that connects. (noun)
• Grammar A word, such as a conjunction, that connects words, phrases, clauses, and sentences. (noun)
• Botany The portion of a stamen that connects the halves of an anther. (noun)

American Heritage(R) Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright (c) 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

• "We see the pattern in what we call the connective categories -- computing, smartphones, flat-screen televisions, digital cameras, and now e-books -- continuing and in fact strengthening."
• "Because of the involvement of connective tissue, SLE is often referred to as a connective tissue disease."
• "Interestingly, blood is classified as a connective tissue because it connects the digestive and respiratory systems with the other parts of the body."