1. natural joint: the connection or place of connection of two or more parts of a natural branching system, e.g. of blood vessels, leaf veins, stems of woody plants, or rivers
2. surgery surgical union of tubular parts: the surgical union of two hollow organs, e.g. blood vessels or parts of the intestine, to ensure continuity of the passageway
3. fungi fusing of fungal filaments: a fusion between fungal filaments hyphae to form a network
[Early 17th century. Via modern Latin< Greek, "outlet, opening, interconnection of openings" < anastomoein "supply with a mouth or opening" < stoma "mouth"]
