adhesive
/ədˈhi.sɪv/adjective, noun
adhesive is spelled A-D-H-E-S-I-V-E: 8 letters and 3 syllables. It appears 2.3 times per million words in written English, the 17,813th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As an adjective, adhesive means “Sticky; tenacious, as glutinous substances” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in adhesive?
| Letters | 8: A-D-H-E-S-I-V-E |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 3 (from its American pronunciation) |
| In writing | 2.3 times per million words; the 17,813th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation and the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is adhesive?
Adhesive appears 2.3 times per million words in written English, the 17,813th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce adhesive?
- UK /ədˈhiː.sɪv/
- US /ədˈhi.sɪv/
- US /ædˈhi.sɪv/
Adhesive has 3 syllables (counted from its American pronunciation in the CMU Pronouncing Dictionary).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-adhesive.ogg, LL-Q1860_(eng)-Wodencafe-adhesive.wav, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with adhesive?
One word on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as adhesive from its last stressed vowel (/isɪv/):
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of adhesive
- more adhesive comparative
- most adhesive superlative
- adhesives plural
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does adhesive mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
adjective
- 1
Sticky; tenacious, as glutinous substances.
adhesive material
- 2
Apt or tending to adhere; clinging.
noun
- 1
a substance, such as glue, that provides or promotes adhesion
The label wouldn’t stick without strong adhesive.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Adhesive in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | adhésif, collant |
| German | klebend, adhäsiv , klebrig , Klebstoff, Kleber, Leim |
| Portuguese | adesivo , aderente |
| Spanish | adhesivo |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does adhesive come from?
From French adhésif, from Medieval Latin adhaesivus, from adhaereō (supine adhaesum); see adhere.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).