collegare

Collegare is an Italian verb meaning to connect or join. It is a regular -are verb used in a wide range of contexts, including physical connections (attaching or linking devices or components), network and data connections (connecting to the Internet or a local network), and the linking of ideas or events. The reflexive form, collegarsi, describes connecting oneself to something, such as a network or a service.

Origin: The verb derives from Latin collegāre "to bring together," from col- (a form of com- meaning 'together') and ligāre "to bind." The sense broadened in Italian to cover both literal binding and more abstract connections.

Usage notes: In transitives: collegare A e B (to connect A and B) or collegare A a B. Intransitive: collegarsi a Internet. Related synonyms include connettere, which is often used in technical contexts, and unire, which emphasizes joining in a broader sense. The noun collegamento means "a connection" or "a link," and the adjective collegato means "connected." The word collega can cause confusion, because it can be the third-person singular of collegare (he/she connects) or the noun meaning "colleague."

See also: collegamento, collegato, collegarsi, connettere.