Definition of SPLICE

splice

Plural: splices

Noun

  • a junction where two things (as paper or film or magnetic tape) have been joined together
    • "the break was due to an imperfect splice"
  • joint made by overlapping two ends and joining them together
  • A junction or joining of ropes made by splicing them together.
  • The electrical and mechanical connection between two pieces of wire or cable.
  • That part of a bat where the handle joins the blade.
  • Bonding or joining of overlapping materials.
  • The process of removing intron sequences from the pre-messenger RNA, and then joining together exons.

Verb

Verb Forms: spliced, splicing, splices

  • To join two ends of something, like rope or film.
  • join the ends of
    • "splice film"
  • perform a marriage ceremony
    • "The couple got spliced on Hawaii"
  • join together so as to form new genetic combinations
    • "splice genes"
  • join by interweaving strands
    • "Splice the wires"
  • To unite, as two ropes, or parts of a rope, by a particular manner of interweaving the strands, the union being between two ends, or between an end and the body of a rope.
  • To unite, as spars, timbers, rails, etc., by lapping the two ends together, or by applying a piece which laps upon the two ends, and then binding, or in any way making fast.
  • To unite in marriage.
  • To unite as if splicing.
  • To remove intron sequences from the pre-messenger RNA, and then join together exons.
  • To add, remove and/or replace several array/data elements in one operation.

Examples

  • He argues against attempts to splice different genres or species of literature into a single composition.
  • He managed to SPLICE two short words together to form a high-scoring play.
  • If the ball hits the splice, it is likely to dolly up for an easy catch.

Origin / Etymology

Circa 1525, borrowed from Middle Dutch splissen (Modern Dutch splitsen); akin to Middle Dutch splitten (“to split”), German spleißen (“to split, splice”), Spliss (“split ends, hair breakage”), French épisser (also from Dutch). The Dutch word originally referred only to the fraying of the ropes' ends but was then also used for the entire process of fraying and retying; hence the peculiar semantic development from “split” to “join”. The same development occurred in German.

Synonyms

lap joint, marry, splicing, tie, wed

Scrabble Score: 10

splice: valid Scrabble (US) TWL Word
splice: valid Scrabble Word in Merriam-Webster MW Dictionary
splice: valid Scrabble Word in International Collins CSW Dictionary

Words With Friends Score: 13

splice: valid Words With Friends Word