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constipate

[ kon-stuh-peyt ]
/ ˈkɒn stəˌpeɪt /
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See synonyms for: constipate / constipated on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object), con·sti·pat·ed, con·sti·pat·ing.
to cause constipation in; make costive.
Informal. to cause to become slow-moving or immobilized; restrict the action or effectiveness of: Bureaucratic red tape can constipate the operations of any government agency.
Obsolete. to crowd or pack closely together.
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Origin of constipate

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English past participle constipat, from Latin constīpātus, past participle of constīpāre, equivalent to con- intensive prefix + Latin stīpāre “to crowd, press”); see origin at con-, stiff

OTHER WORDS FROM constipate

con·sti·pat·ed, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2022

How to use constipate in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for constipate

constipate
/ (ˈkɒnstɪˌpeɪt) /

verb
(tr) to cause constipation in

Word Origin for constipate

C16: from Latin constīpāre to press closely together, from stīpāre to crowd together
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for constipate

constipate
[ kŏnstə-pāt′ ]

v.
To cause constipation in the bowels.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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