adhesive agent
1
4.4
- noun
- /ədˈhiːsɪv ˈeɪdʒənt/
- An adhesive agent is essential for mounting dental crowns securely in the mouth.
Examples
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Scientists developed a new adhesive agent that works even on wet surfaces.
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The adhesive agent worked perfectly to bond the two surfaces.
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The tiles were fixed in place using a strong adhesive agent that dried within hours.
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Many adhesive agents are used in construction.
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The carpenter applied an adhesive agent to ensure the pieces of wood stayed together during assembly.
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In art restoration, specialists often use a strong adhesive agent to repair fragile pieces without damaging them.
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For the project, we selected an adhesive agent that works well with both plastic and metal materials.
Synonyms
193
1.0
A sticky substance used to join things together
19
3.6
A sticky substance used to join two things together
5
3.3
A very strong glue that joins things quickly and stays joined
4
3.9
A thing that makes materials stick together, for example in paint or food
3
2.8
A very strong sticky liquid that joins things quickly
1
3.4
A sticky substance like glue that holds two surfaces together
1
5.4
A thick glue-like substance that clings to things and makes a mess
1
3.9
A very strong glue made by mixing two parts to join hard materials like metal or glass
1
6.7
A material used to make two things stick together
1
6.1
A strong sticky substance from milk that joins pieces of wood
Antonyms
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning is directly and compositionally derived from 'adhesive' (a substance for sticking) and 'agent' (a thing/substance that produces an effect), so a learner who knows both words can infer it refers to a substance that causes adhesion. This noun–noun composition is transparent and cross-linguistically common, making it readily understandable to a B1 learner.
Etymology
Adhesive agent: The noun adhesive agent comes from a simple idea: adhesive means 'sticky' and agent means 'one that acts'. So an adhesive agent is literally something that 'does the sticking', which is why it means a material used to join surfaces together.