Meaning of 'ligature'

noun

the act of tying or binding things together

Synonyms: tying

noun

something used to tie or bind

Synonyms: binder

noun

thread used by surgeons to bind a vessel so as to constrict the flow of blood

noun

a metal band used to attach a reed to the mouthpiece of a clarinet or saxophone

Example: "The clarinetist replaced their reed and tightened the ligature."

noun

character consisting of two or more letters combined into one

Example: "This typeface has a number of elegant ligatures."

noun

a group of musical notes connected by a slur

Example: "I practiced the violin until I could play ligatures smoothly."