# connective

/kəˈnɛktɪv/ (US) · /kənˈɛktɪv/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/connective
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. grammar

noun · CEFR B2 · Academic

a word or phrase that joins parts of a sentence or different sentences together.

For teachers: a word or phrase that links clauses or sentences to provide cohesion, such as conjunctions or conjunctive adverbs.

- You should use a connective like 'however' to show the contrast between these two ideas.
- The student's essay lacked logical flow because she failed to use appropriate connectives between her main arguments.

Usage: Commonly used in academic writing instruction to refer to cohesive devices.

### 2. anatomy

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

a type of tissue in the body that supports or joins other tissues and organs.

For teachers: a shortened form of 'connective tissue', referring to the fibrous tissue that supports, binds, or separates other tissues or organs.

- The doctor explained that the injury affected the connective around the joint.
- The biopsy revealed a significant degradation of the connective within the patient's lower lumbar region.

Usage: Often functions as a shorthand for 'connective tissue' in medical contexts.

### 3. logic

noun · CEFR C2 · Academic · Technical

a symbol or word that joins two statements to create a new one.

For teachers: a truth-functional operator that joins two or more propositions to form a compound proposition.

- In this equation, the symbol represents a logical connective.
- The professor demonstrated how the truth table changes depending on which logical connective is applied to the premises.

### 4. serving to join

adjective · CEFR B2

used to describe something that joins two or more things together.

For teachers: serving or tending to connect; functioning as a link between separate parts.

- The architect designed a connective hallway between the two main buildings.
- The study explores the connective role of social media in modern political movements.

## Examples

- Words like 'however' and 'because' are common connectives.
- Using a logical connective at the start of a paragraph helps the reader follow your argument more easily.
- The student's essay was technically accurate but lacked cohesion because she failed to use appropriate connectives to bridge the gap between her primary and secondary arguments.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.