Constriction

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /kənˈstɹɪk.ʃən/

Definitions

1. A state where an area is compressed or tightened, resulting in restricted movement or flow, often associated with a sense of pressure or blockage
2. A process involving the narrowing or tightening of a passage, which can lead to a restriction of flow or movement, frequently accompanied by a sensation of pressure or discomfort
3. The condition of being compressed or narrowed, producing a limitation or reduction in space or passage

Etymology: The word "constriction" traces back to a verb that meant to bind tightly. Latin "stringere" meant "to draw tight" or "to bind," and when it was combined with the prefix "com-" ("together") it became "constringere," meaning to bind or draw together so as to squeeze. Its past participle, "constrictus," gave rise to the Late Latin noun "constrictio," which referred to the act of tightening or binding. English borrowed the word from Late Latin, so its literal sense is the physical act of drawing something tight. That physical meaning remains at the heart of the modern usage, which applies to anything from a narrowed passage in the body or a bottleneck in a pipe to a feeling of tightness in the chest.

Synonyms: tightening, narrowing, compression, restriction, shrinkage

Antonyms: expansion, enlargement, release, liberation, opening