A device that connects two things together; the act of joining or connecting.
From Old French 'cople' meaning 'a pair, couple,' from Latin 'copula' meaning 'bond, tie.' The mechanical sense developed in the 19th century with railway and machinery terminology, while the general sense of joining has been present since Middle English.
Coupling beautifully demonstrates how technical and romantic language overlap - the same word describes both railway cars connecting and romantic partners pairing up. Engineers and poets have more in common than they might think!
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.