# glue

> English word · Noun · IPA /ɡluː/ · frequency rank #9,613

## Definitions
1. A hard gelatin made by boiling bones and hides, used in solution as an adhesive; or any sticky adhesive substance.
2. Anything that binds two things or people together.
3. A viscid secretion on the surface of certain plants.

## Etymology
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *gleyH-
Proto-Indo-European *glóh₁ytn̥
Proto-Italic *gloiten
Latin glūten
Late Latin glūs
Old French glubor.
Middle English glew
English glue
From Middle English glew, glue, from Old French glu (“glue, birdlime”), from Late Latin glūs (stem glūt-), from Latin glūten. Related to clay.
Partially displaced native Old English līm (“glue”) and ġelīman (“to glue”) (whence modern lime).

## Easily confused with
- **GU** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/glue-vs-gu)
- **guy** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/glue-vs-guy)
- **gun** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/glue-vs-gun)
- **gut** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/glue-vs-gut)
- **gum** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/glue-vs-gum)
- **Gus** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/glue-vs-gus)
- **GUI** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/glue-vs-gui)
- **GPU** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/glue-vs-gpu)
- **Guo** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/glue-vs-guo)
- **GNU** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/glue-vs-gnu)
- **GRE** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/glue-vs-gre)
- **gul** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/glue-vs-gul)
- **GRU** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/glue-vs-gru)
- **gone** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/glue-vs-gone)
- **gore** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/glue-vs-gore)
- **grub** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/glue-vs-grub)
- **gout** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/glue-vs-gout)
- **gove** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/glue-vs-gove)
- **glut** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/glue-vs-glut)
- **glyn** (https://plainspell.com/en/vs/glue-vs-glyn)

## Common misspellings (5)
`gglue`, `gleu`, `gllue`, `gule`, `lgue`

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/glue