ligature

1. The act of tying or binding something. (uncountable)
2. A cord or similar thing used to tie something; especially the thread used in surgery to close a vessel or duct. (countable) · anti-ligature clothing
3. A thread or wire used to remove tumours, etc. (countable, uncountable)
4. The state of being bound or stiffened; stiffness. (countable, uncountable) · the ligature of a joint
5. A character or glyph that visually combines multiple letters, often those of a digraph (such as æ, œ, ß or ij) but sometimes also others (such as fi or fl). (In English and various other languages, such characters and glyphs are not necessary to write or type in the standard orthography, but there are traditions of using them for aesthetic reasons.) (countable) · Near-synonym: logotype (not always differentiated)
6. A linker word that is classified as a separate part of speech, usually present in Philippine languages. (countable, uncountable)
7. A group of notes played as a phrase, or the curved line that indicates such a phrase. (countable)
8. A curve or line connecting notes; a slur. (countable, uncountable)

Plural ligatures