WordGarden.iocommissure
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /ˈkɒm.ɪs.jʊə/noun
US
- /ˈkɑm.əˌʃʊr/noun
Meanings
Noun
a junction where two body parts or tissues meet, especially at the lips or eyelids
a bundle of nerve fibers connecting corresponding parts on opposite sides of the brain or spinal cord
a line or surface where paired plant structures meet
Beyond the definition
Imagine the corners of your mouth where the upper and lower lips meet—that is a commissure. It refers to a place where two parts join, often forming a clear line or seam. You most often see it in anatomy, such as the corners of your lips or the corners of your eyelids, but it also names important connections in the brain. In neurology, a commissure is a bundle of nerve fibers that links the left and right halves, allowing them to share information.
The word comes from the Latin commissura, meaning “a joining together.” Think of it as a small bridge between two sides.
A commissure is a point where two things join; it is a junction, seam, or line of connection. While the term sounds technical, you encounter commissures every time you look in the mirror. The most common biological examples are the oral commissures (the corners of the mouth) and the palpebral commissures (the corners of the eyes). These are specific points where distinct parts of the body meet and fuse.
Beyond external anatomy, “commissure” is a crucial term in neurology. It describes bundles of nerve fibers—such as the corpus callosum, as well as the anterior and posterior commissures—that cross the midline of the brain to connect the left and right hemispheres. In this sense, a commissure is not just a meeting point, but a working pathway for communication. In botany, the term can also be used for the joining surface where two parts of a fruit are held together.
While predominantly used in medical and scientific writing, it can be borrowed in a broader way to mean any spot where two separate streams meet—where rivers join, where communities connect, or where ideas touch and start to blend. Whether you are discussing the delicate anatomy of the human face, the complex wiring of the brain, or a more figurative meeting point, a commissure is fundamentally the exact place where two separate things become one.
Examples
- 1
Mouth injury
The cut reached the left labial commissure, so the doctor examined the corner of her mouth carefully.
- Domainlabial commissure
the place where the upper and lower lips meet
- 2
Brain anatomy
Damage to the anterior commissure can disrupt communication between the two sides of the brain.
- 3
Medical imaging
In the scan, the major commissures appeared intact, which was a reassuring sign for the neurology team.
See also
Similar
Shades of meaning
Contrast
- decussation
- separation
Used with (collocations)
- anterior commissure
- posterior commissure
- labial commissure
- commissure of the eyelids
Word family
- commissural
Explore
- corpus callosum
- midline anatomy
Forms and spellings
1 form open this card.
Main spelling
- commissurenoun