superglue

superglue — noun

1. a powerful, quick-setting adhesive that bonds surfaces almost instantly, usually

1.nounB1
Definition

a powerful, quick-setting adhesive that bonds surfaces almost instantly, usually packaged in small tubes for repairing broken items around the home

Example

Walid used superglue to fix the handle of his favourite coffee mug.

use superglue to [repair an object]

A single drop of superglue was enough to hold the loose button in place.

drop of superglue

Common collocations
  • tube of superglue
  • drop of superglue
  • apply superglue
  • superglue dries
  • superglue bonds
  • superglue sets
Synonyms
  • adhesive

    a more formal, general word for any substance that sticks things together; includes glues, pastes and cements

  • epoxy

    a two-part resin adhesive that takes longer to harden but produces an extremely strong, gap-filling bond

  • glue

    the broadest everyday term; includes many types of sticky substance, from school glue to wood glue

Grammar Patterns

superglue + verb (e.g. superglue dries / bonds / sets)

drop / tube / amount + of + superglue

Usage Note

Superglue started as a trademarked brand name but is now used as the everyday term for cyanoacrylate adhesives. In writing you may also see it as two separate words (super glue) or capitalised (Super Glue).

Common Mistakes

I used superglue to stick a poster on the wall.
I used superglue to fix the handle of a broken cup.
superglue is meant for small, strong repairs, not for lightweight sticking like paper or posters.

superglue — verb

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Glue is the general everyday word for any sticky substance used to join materials together. Superglue is a specific type — a cyanoacrylate adhesive that hardens extremely fast (often in seconds) and forms a very strong bond, ideal for small household repairs. Adhesive is the broadest and most formal term, covering everything from simple paste to industrial-strength bonding agents. Epoxy is a two-part resin that needs mixing before use; it takes longer to set but can fill gaps and work on uneven surfaces. Cement is a construction material that hardens by chemical reaction and is used for building, not for fixing small objects around the home. For example, you would reach for superglue to repair a broken ceramic figurine, whereas you would mix epoxy to patch a cracked kayak and use cement for laying bricks.

glue ↗adhesive ↗epoxycement ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • dries in seconds
  • bonds almost instantly

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

Superglue is a blend of the prefix 'super-' (from Latin 'super', meaning above or beyond) and 'glue' (from Old French 'glu', meaning a sticky substance, which traces back to Latin 'gluten' meaning glue or paste). The word originated as a trademarked brand name in the mid-20th century for cyanoacrylate adhesive, and over time it became the common generic term for this type of fast-bonding glue.