ligation: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
C1+Formal, Technical, Medical, Scientific
Quick answer
What does “ligation” mean?
The act of tying something tightly, especially a blood vessel or tube.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The act of tying something tightly, especially a blood vessel or tube.
In molecular biology, the joining of two DNA strands or fragments by an enzyme.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. Spelling and pronunciation follow standard regional patterns.
Connotations
Identical technical connotations in medical and scientific contexts.
Frequency
Equally low-frequency in general language, but standard in relevant professional fields in both regions.
Grammar
How to Use “ligation” in a Sentence
undergo ligationperform ligation on [object]the ligation of [object]Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “ligation” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The surgeon will ligate the vessel to prevent haemorrhage.
- We need to ligate these DNA fragments before transformation.
American English
- The surgeon will ligate the vessel to prevent hemorrhage.
- We need to ligate these DNA fragments before transformation.
adverb
British English
- [No common adverbial form; 'ligationally' is non-standard.]
American English
- [No common adverbial form; 'ligationally' is non-standard.]
adjective
British English
- The ligature material was synthetic.
- The ligation site was healing well.
American English
- The ligature material was synthetic.
- The ligation site was healing well.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Common in medical, biological, and biochemical research papers.
Everyday
Very rare, except in discussions of permanent contraception (tubal ligation).
Technical
The primary register. Essential terminology in surgery and molecular biology labs.
Vocabulary
Synonyms of “ligation”
Vocabulary
Antonyms of “ligation”
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “ligation”
- Misspelling as 'legation' (a diplomatic mission).
- Using it as a verb ('to ligation') instead of the correct verb 'ligate'.
- Overusing in non-technical contexts where 'tying' would suffice.
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it is a technical term used primarily in medical and molecular biology contexts. The average person might only encounter it regarding 'tubal ligation' (a form of female sterilization).
The verb is 'to ligate'. A surgeon ligates a blood vessel. A scientist ligates DNA fragments.
'Ligation' is the *act or process* of tying. A 'ligature' is the *object* used to tie, such as a suture thread or a wire in orthodontics.
Extremely rarely. Its use is almost entirely confined to technical fields where a precise, formal term for 'tying off' is needed.
The act of tying something tightly, especially a blood vessel or tube.
Ligation is usually formal, technical, medical, scientific in register.
Ligation: in British English it is pronounced /lɪˈɡeɪʃ(ə)n/, and in American English it is pronounced /laɪˈɡeɪʃən/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms for this technical term]”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'LIGA-TION' as 'LIGA-ture' + 'acTION' – the action of applying a ligature (a tie).
Conceptual Metaphor
Tying a knot to close a hose (for medical); gluing pieces of string together (for DNA).
Practice
Quiz
In which of these contexts is 'ligation' LEAST likely to be used?