adherence English · revision 1878

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1449|origins=la haerēre}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ədˈhɪə.ɹəns/ ''(UK)''; /ədˈhɪɹ.əns/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|adherence]],^(MED) [[bor|fro|adherence]],^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002)^(Klein 1966) or [[xno|adherance]],^(MWU 2024) from [[la-med|adhaerentia]],^(Etymonline)^(Klein 1966)^(Webster's Third 1961) from [[la|adhaerēns|t=adhering]], present participle of [[m|la|adhaerēre|t=to stick to]],^(Etymonline)^(Klein 1966)^(MWU 2024) from [[m|la|ad|t=to]] and [[m|la|haerēre|t=to stick]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Attachment to a person or party; support (1450 in the Middle English Dictionary).^(MED)^(HTOED)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The first sense was political: in 1450 Parliament charged that the Duke of Suffolk's “adherence, counseill, and comfort” had helped the French.^(MED) From steady attachment to a person or cause it widened to faithful observance of a rule, belief or practice.^(HTOED)^(OED 1989) It was also used of physically sticking to something (1555 in the Historical Thesaurus, 1612 in the OED),^(HTOED)^(OED 1989) though Etymonline notes that ''adhesion'' is the usual word for that.^(Etymonline) Johnson (1755) gave both the literal “tenacity” and the figurative “fixedness of mind”.^(Johnson 1755) In botany it meant the growing together of unlike parts,^(OED 1989)^(Chambers 2008) and in medicine it now means how far a patient keeps to an agreed treatment.^(Stedman's)^(Wiktionary) In Scots law it is the duty of husband and wife to live together.^(Black's Law 2004)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1450 – attachment, support (MED).^(MED)

+ * 1531 – a particular instance of adhering (obsolete).^(OED 1989)^(MW Collegiate)

+ * 1555 – physical adhesion (Historical Thesaurus).^(HTOED)

+ * 1638 – persistence in a practice or belief.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1818 – botany, the joining of parts (Historical Thesaurus).^(HTOED)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The act or quality of [[adhere|alt=adhering]]; [[adhesion]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(MWU 2024)

+ # Faithful attachment or devotion to a person, party, [[principle]] or cause.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+ # Strict observance of rules, a plan or a practice.^(HTOED)^(MWU 2024)

+ # ''(medicine)'' The extent to which a patient continues an agreed treatment.^(Stedman's)^(Wiktionary)

+ # ''(Scots law)'' The duty of married people to live together.^(Black's Law 2004)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[preadherence]]

+ * [[nonadherence]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[adhere]]

+ * [[adhesion]]

+ * [[adhesive]]

+ * [[hesitate]]

+ * [[cohere]]

+ * [[inherent]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}