Siamese twin
nounEtymology Chang and Eng Bunker, conjoined twins from Siam (modern Thailand), were known as the "Siamese twins".
1
A conjoined twin; one of two people physically joined together.
- the two stood together; the old miser leaning against the herb-doctor with something of that air of trustful fraternity with which, when standing, the less strong of the Siamese twins habitually leans against the other.1857, Herman Melville, chapter XXI, in The Confidence-Man: His Masquerade:
- The village sign on the green depicts the Biddenden Maids, the Siamese twins Elizabeth and Mary Chulkhurst, who were born about 1135, joined at the hip and shoulder. They lived until the age of 34 when they died within a few hours of each other.1980, AA Book of British Villages, Drive Publications Ltd, page 58:
2
Broadly One of two people who are extraordinarily close, or always found together.
- Didn't you hear what he said about your Lesta and the Prince — that they were as thick as butter — regular Siamese twins and you couldn't separate 'em?
3
Human sciences, Linguistics, Sciences Either of a pair of words that occur together as an idiomatic expression or collocation, as in "hammer and sickle", "short and sweet", or "spick and span".
- Derived terms
- Siamese Twin Galaxies, Siamese Twin Galaxy, Siamese Twins, Siamese Twins Galaxies, Siamese Twins Galaxy