[f. as prec. + -NESS.]
1. The quality of being adhesive; the power of adhering; stickiness, viscosity, tenacity. lit. and fig.
1839. Lady Lytton, Cheveley (ed. 2), II. ix. 283. Adamantine adhesiveness to a particular principle.
1868. Morn. Star, 6 March. The adhesiveness and tenacity of this cement are truly extraordinary.
2. Phren. The faculty of forming and maintaining attachments to persons. Psych. The tendency to association of ideas which is the basis of memory.
1815. Spurzheim, Physiognom. Syst., Pref. 9. Attachment indicates only the effect of this faculty, and I require a name to express the faculty of producing such effect … and it seems to me that the sound attachiveness would be infinitely more disagreeable than adhesiveness.
1868. Bain, Mental & Moral Sc., II. i. 88. Natural adhesiveness usually shows itself in special departments—aptitude for languages, for science, for music, etc.
1879. Chambers, Encycl., s.v. Phrenology, Adhesiveness is strongest and its organ largest in woman.
