connect

Connect is a verb with senses centered on joining, linking, or establishing communication between entities. It can refer to physically attaching objects so they form a single unit, creating a relationship between people or organizations, or forming a functional or logical link between ideas, systems, or processes. In everyday use, one might say they connect with someone, connect the dots to reach a conclusion, or connect to a network or service. The related noun is connection.

Etymology traces connect to the Latin connectere, from con- meaning “together” and nectere meaning “to bind.” The word entered English via Old or Middle French, developing its modern sense of making a linkage or relationship between otherwise separate things.

In technology and computing, connect frequently denotes establishing a session or channel between devices, software, or networks. Examples include connecting to the internet, connecting a printer to a computer, or connecting wireless accessories via Bluetooth. Once connected, data and commands can flow between the linked endpoints. In addition, software often uses a connect operation or command to initiate a network request or to join a server, database, or service.

In broader usage, connect is also used to describe linking concepts, arguments, or experiences in a coherent way, or to describe social or organizational ties that enable collaboration or information flow. A successful connection can be transient, as with a brief contact, or durable, as in ongoing partnerships.

See also: connection, connectivity, link, join.