lightening

[ lahyt-n-ing ]

noun

, Medicine/Medical.

1. the descent of the uterus into the pelvic cavity, occurring toward the end of pregnancy, changing the contour of the abdomen and facilitating breathing by lessening pressure under the diaphragm.

lightening

/ ˈlaɪtənɪŋ /

noun

1. obstetrics the sensation, experienced by many women late in pregnancy when the head of the fetus enters the pelvis, of a reduction in pressure on the diaphragm, making it easier to breathe

Word History and Origins

Origin of lightening¹

First recorded in 1520–30; lighten ² + -ing ¹

Example Sentences

To my surprise, I also noticed a visible lightening of sun damage and brighter skin after just a few uses.

From The Daily Beast

The organization runs programs to educate young girls of color about online safety, healthy digital behaviors, and the dangers of physical skin lightening.

From MIT Technology Review

Few people are willing to admit or speak openly about this aspect of their skin care regimen, as it is generally frowned upon by society even as the lighter skin that one is born with or comes as a result of skin lightening is elevated in society.

From Quartz

Attempts to contact the leaders of Eastern Lightening to comment on these allegations were unsuccessful.

From The Daily Beast

In recent times, Zwarte Piet has become a lightening rod for issues of Dutch identity and multicultural tolerance.

From The Daily Beast

He believes that the plane was hit by a bolt of lightening and went down in deep water.

From The Daily Beast

Buckling down to tie-up loose ends is key to lightening your mental load.

From The Daily Beast

By five in the morning, the sky was lightening, and we trudged back toward Christopher Street, where I could catch a train home.

From The Daily Beast

It was as if some spirit that had breathed on him, sustaining him, lightening his incipient heaviness, had been removed.

From Project Gutenberg

Michael sighed under a faint lightening of his load, and Stella came up to him engagingly to slip her arm into his.

From Project Gutenberg

He pointed with shaking fingers away toward the east, where a faint gleam of daylight was lightening the sky.

From Project Gutenberg

May God forbid, that after all these years of darkness you should play me false now when the dawn is already lightening the sky.

From Project Gutenberg

A soft grey twilight rested upon the sea; darker and blacker the waters seemed just then by contrast with the lightening skies.

From Project Gutenberg

Related Words

• encouraging
• reassuring
• refreshing
• soothing