LIG'ATURE, noun [Latin ligatura.] 1. Any thing that binds; a band or bandage. 2. The act of binding; as, by a strict ligature of the parts. 3. Impotence induced by magic. 4. In music, a band or line connecting notes. 5. Among printers, a double character, or a type consisting of two letters or characters united; as fl, fi, in English. The old editions of Greek authors abound with ligatures. 6. The state of being bound. 7. In medicine, stiffness of a joint. 8. In surgery, a cord or string for tying the blood vessels, particularly the arteries, to prevent hemorrhage.
Source: Webster's 1828 American Dictionary ↗ · public-domain · returned verbatim, no AI