coherent
Americanadjective
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logically connected; consistent.
a coherent argument.
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having a natural or due agreement of parts; harmonious.
a coherent design.
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cohering; sticking together.
a coherent mass of sticky candies.
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Physics, Optics. of or relating to waves that maintain a fixed phase relationship, as in coherent light, or light in which the electromagnetic waves maintain a fixed and predictable phase relationship with each other over a period of time.
adjective
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capable of logical and consistent speech, thought, etc
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logical; consistent and orderly
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cohering or sticking together
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physics (of two or more waves) having the same phase or a fixed phase difference
coherent light
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(of a system of units) consisting only of units the quotient or product of any two of which yield the unit of the resultant quantity
Other Word Forms
- coherently adverb
- noncoherent adjective
Etymology
Origin of coherent
First recorded in 1570–80; from Medieval Latin cohērent-, variant of Latin cohaerent- (stem of cohaerēns ), present participle of cohaerēre; cohere, -ent
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It found Northern Ireland was "very close" to delivering "an ecologically coherent network".
From BBC
But the erratic Arctic temperatures plunged again to more than – 50°F. Three of the crew members returned barely coherent; the other four were unable to move, stranded miles away from the ship.
From Literature
“The voters see Milei as the only one with a coherent plan,” he says.
From Barron's
That is particularly true of limits on political parties, because they are institutions designed to aggregate interests and offer coherent programs to voters.
From MarketWatch
Similarly, the assimilationist impulses of the Jewish founders of the Hollywood studio system tell a coherent story.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
