A bond or chain.
Greek desmos, a chain or fetter; desme, bundle.
A desmosome is a structure by which two adjacent cells are attached, formed from protein plaques in the cell membranes linked by filaments; desmoid denotes a type of fibrous tumour of muscle and connective tissue, typically in the abdomen; a desmid is a single-celled freshwater alga which appears to be composed of two rigid cells with a shared nucleus.
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