anchorlike

Anchorlike is an adjective used to describe something that resembles or functions as an anchor. In physical form, anchorlike objects typically feature a central body that suggests a shank with protrusions or flukes designed to grip a surface. In a broader sense, the term can denote stability, mooring, or a grounding influence within a system.

Etymology and usage: The word is derived from anchor plus the suffix -like. It is commonly written as anchorlike or, in some contexts, anchor-like; style guides may prefer hyphenation for adjectives formed from a noun.

Contexts: The descriptor appears in design and art descriptions to note motifs that resemble an anchor. In science and engineering, it is used when describing shapes in fossils, minerals, crystals, or biological structures that resemble anchors. In sociology or organizational studies, anchorlike roles refer to entities that anchor a network by providing stability or reference points.

Figurative sense: Beyond form, anchorlike conveys a sense of dependence on a stable point or reference, such as an anchorlike variable that stabilizes a model.

See also: anchor, anchorage, anchoring, anchor-shaped motif.