contraction

[kuhn-trak-shuhn]

noun

1. an act or instance of contracting or the quality or state of being contracted.

   The contraction of the ship’s metal fastenings and consequent snapping of the wood caused cracking sounds during the cold night.

2. a shortened form of a word or group of words, with the omitted letters often replaced in written English by an apostrophe, as e'er for ever, isn't for is not, I'd for I would.

3. Physiology.

   1. the thickening and shortening of a muscle.

      Myosin is a protein in muscles, working together with actin to produce muscle contraction.

   2. one in an often rhythmic series of such muscular changes, especially in the wall of the uterus during labor.

      When I got to the hospital, my labor was in full force with only 10 seconds between contractions.

4. a restriction or withdrawal, as of currency or of funds available as call money.

5. a decrease in economic and industrial activity (expansion ).

   The contraction that became the Great Depression began in the United States and spread around the globe.

contraction

/ kənˈtrækʃən /

noun

1. an instance of contracting or the state of being contracted

2. physiol any normal shortening or tensing of an organ or part, esp of a muscle, e.g. during childbirth

3. pathol any abnormal tightening or shrinking of an organ or part

4. a shortening of a word or group of words, often marked in written English by an apostrophe

   I've come for I have come

contraction

1. The shortening and thickening of a muscle for the purpose of exerting force on or causing movement of a body part.

2. See more at muscle

contraction

1. A word produced by running two or more words together and leaving out some of the letters or sounds. For example, isn't is a contraction of is not.

Usage

Contractions such as isn't, couldn't, can't, weren't, he'll, they're occur chiefly, although not exclusively, in informal speech and writing. They are common in personal letters, business letters, journalism, and fiction; they are rare in scientific and scholarly writing. Contractions occur in formal writing mainly as representations of speech.

An apostrophe is generally used in contractions to show where letters or sounds have been left out.

Other Word Forms

• contractional adjective
• noncontraction noun
• overcontraction noun
• recontraction noun
• contractive adjective
• contractiveness noun
• contractively adverb

Word History and Origins

Origin of contraction¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Old French, from Latin contractiōn-, stem of contractiō, equivalent to contract(us) “drawn together, restricted,” past participle of contrahere + -iōn- noun suffix; contract, -ion

Example Sentences

The Paramount layoffs are the latest sign of contraction across the entertainment and tech sectors.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Data on the German economy is expected to show Thursday that gross domestic product stagnated in the third quarter of the year, after contraction in the second.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Jacqui was not told she had been given an overdose of Misoprostol, the drug used to bring on labour, even though some staff were aware of the error before her contractions started.

Read more on BBC

The contraction in the industry has worsened, as several years of drought have forced ranchers to slash their herds.

Read more on BBC

After a long run of contraction, retail sales have returned to growth recently, and markets will look to see if the momentum held up last month.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• decrease 
• deflation 
• recession 
• reduction 
• shrinkage