interconnectedness
|in-ter-con-nect-ed-ness|
🇺🇸
/ˌɪntərkəˈnɛktɪvnəs/
🇬🇧
/ˌɪntəkəˈnɛktɪvnəs/
mutual connections among parts
Etymology
'interconnectedness' originates from modern English, formed from the prefix 'inter-' (from Latin 'inter') and the participle 'connected' (from 'connect') with the noun-forming suffix '-ness'; 'inter-' meant 'between' and 'connect' ultimately came from Latin.
'connect' derives from Latin 'connectere' (con- 'together' + nectere 'to bind'), passed into Old French and then Middle English as 'connecten'/'connect', later producing 'connected'; adding the prefix 'inter-' produced 'interconnect', and the adjective 'interconnected' plus suffix '-ness' produced the modern noun 'interconnectedness'.
Initially the elements meant 'between' (inter-) and 'to bind together' (connect); over time they combined in English to denote the state of being mutually connected, which is the current meaning of 'interconnectedness'.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the state or condition of being mutually connected or linked together.
The interconnectedness of the city's transport systems makes commuting easier.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Noun 2
the complex network of relationships within a system in which parts affect one another (often used in ecology, systems theory, and sociology).
Scientists study the interconnectedness of species to understand ecosystem stability.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Noun 3
recognition of social, economic, or political links that tie people or groups together, implying mutual influence or responsibility.
The pandemic highlighted the interconnectedness of global economies.
Synonyms
Antonyms
Idioms
Last updated: 2026/01/03 23:17