commissure

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: com=mis=sure

CIDE DICTIONARY

commissure, n. [L. commissura a joining together: cf. F. commissure. See Commit.].

•  A joint, seam, or closure; the place where two bodies, or parts of a body, meet and unite; an interstice, cleft, or juncture.  [1913 Webster]
•  The point of union between two parts, as the angles of the lips or eyelids, the mandibles of a bird, etc.  [1913 Webster]
•  The line of junction or cohering face of two carpels, as in the parsnip, caraway, etc.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

commissure, n.
1 a junction, joint, or seam.
2 Anat. a the joint between two bones. b a band of nerve tissue connecting the hemispheres of the brain, the two sides of the spinal cord, etc. c the line where the upper and lower lips, or eyelids, meet.
3 Bot. any of several joints etc. between different parts of a plant.

Derivative

commissural adj.

Etymology

ME f. L commissura junction (as COMMIT)

ROGET THESAURUS

commissure

Junction

N junction, joining, joinder, union connection, conjunction, conjugation, annexion, annexation, annexment, astriction, attachment, compagination, vincture, ligation, alligation, accouplement, marriage infibulation, inosculation, symphysis, anastomosis, confluence, communication, concatenation, meeting, reunion, assemblage, coition, copulation, sex, sexual congress, sexual conjunction, sexual intercourse, love-making, joint, joining, juncture, pivot, hinge, articulation, commissure, seam, gore, gusset, suture, stitch, link, miter mortise, closeness, tightness coherence, combination, annexationist, joined, joint, conjoint, conjunct, corporate, compact, hand in hand, firm, fast, close, tight, taut, taught, secure, set, intervolved, inseparable, indissoluble, insecable, severable, jointly, in conjunction with, fast, firmly intimately, tria juncta in uno.